The Importance of Being Snape
by KyleLandy
Summary: An extensive look at the character of Severus Snape through the means of an AU fanfic. Snape gets sorted into Gryffindor and lives a much different life that the one he was supposed to. But change comes at a cost as Snape learns that not all heroes can save the day. AU for the moment. Chapter 10 is in.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey there, this is my first HP fanfic. I've always loved the character of Snape even though some people completely abhor him. Yet I can't help but feel that his importance to the story has always been vastly underrated. To me, in terms of plot mind you, Snape is the third most important HP character, behind Voldemort and Harry himself.**

 **I wrote this story, not to convince you to like Snape but rather to highlight the importance of his character. This story will be at most a three-shot, not longer than that. Some characters may seem OOC and this story may drift to becoming an AU but rest assured, there's more to it than meets the eye so do give it a read!**

 **Disclaimer: I own not a single property of HP as all of it belongs to Robert Galbraith.**

 **The Importance of Being Snape**

" _I can't pretend anymore. You've chosen your way, I've chosen mine." – Lily Evans, The Prince's Tale_

 _1971_

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Never had a single word sent shockwaves throughout Snape's body. He was bewildered, to say the least, as he glanced at the Slytherin table. Most of the faces there glared at him as Snape recalled how he had bumped into several of the older students on the train and talked to them about his desire to be a Slytherin. Lucius Malfoy looked at him with disgust as Snape felt a hand on his right shoulder. It was the Transfiguration Professor and newly-appointed Head of _his_ House, Professor Minerva McGonagall who was ushering him off the seat towards the Gryffindor table.

The applause had been muted, seeing how many expected someone who looked like him and who had been talking about the joys of Slytherin on the train to be in Slytherin and yet here he was. Severus Snape was a Gryffindor! A bloody, brawns before brains, no-good Gryffindor! Merlin, how embarrassing!

Snape racked his brains as he walked towards the table, trying to figure out just how someone like him could ever have been a Gryffindor. He then saw Lily Evans, patting the seat beside her as she was beaming with joy. _That was it!_ Snape thought. He recalled seeing Lily being sorted to Gryffindor, seeing how James and Sirius were trying to get her to be their friend and a rush of anger had flown through Severus. Lily was his friend and he would be damned if anyone, let alone James and Sirius, were to steal her away too. He had willed himself to be there for her and for that reason, the Hat must have placed him there.

Taking his seat next to Lily, Severus felt a wonderful rush of emotion as she smiled and sat closer to him.

"I thought you wanted to go to Slytherin. Sorry, you didn't get in but I'm glad you're in my house, Severus." Lily said as she beamed at him, her flowing red hair and beautiful emerald green eyes stirred something inside his stomach.

"Yeah, me too. I'm glad to be here with you, Lily." Severus replied as he glared at James and Sirius, both who were sneering at him.

"Really?" Lily asked, surprised to see his reaction. "Why the change of mind?"

"More of a change of heart," Snape replied as he stared at the Gryffindor crest high above the ceiling.

…..

 _1973_

"I have had it here with you, James Potter!" Lily yelled across the common room as the four boys stared blankly at her. Snape was cursing under his breath as he tried to pick up his books that had been shoved from his arm when James _accidentally_ bumped into him.

"You're nothing but an arrogant toe-rag! Just because you're on the Quidditch team and have your gang of blind followers does not mean you get to treat Severus the way you do. It's been going on for four years now and I've had it up to here! Tell me, James, why do you treat Severus as such? Is it because he's _poor_?"

"That's barmy, Lily! Snivellus just annoys me, that's all!" James said as Sirius, Remus, and Peter, James's friends, nodded in agreement.

"How exactly does he annoy you, might I ask? And his name is Severus, you prat!" Lily replied icily as she put her hands on her hips.

"He takes digs at us too, Lily! Don't you… _Snivellus_?" James said as he spat out Snape's name, refusing to give an inch. Snape wanted more than anything else to snap back a retort and hex James stinking Potter to oblivion but looking at Lily, Snape kept his mouth shut. For the past three years, Lily had been looking out for Snape just as he had for her. Adjusting to Gryffindor had not been easy for him but Lily had made it all worthwhile. Their friendship meant so much to Snape and he wouldn't throw it away for anything. Especially not when Lily was trying to defend him against the big bully known as James Potter.

"Of course he does! You really expect him to not insult or take action if someone does the same to him? Try being in his shoes, James if you're even capable of that. Don't you think if you acted just a little nicer to Snape, he wouldn't be retaliating the way he has."

"Be nicer to him?!" Sirius cried out incredulously as Peter gave a laugh. Remus, to his credit, had fallen silent.

"Oh, so this is how it is? Hiding behind your woman, eh Snivellus? You really think someone like her would actually be with someone like you?" James retorted, ignoring Lily as he glared at Snape. Sirius laughed out loud as Peter threw insults at Snape while Remus continued to look slightly embarrassed. Snape felt his face burning as he turned to walk away only for a soft hand to grab at his arm. Turning around, Snape saw Lily glaring daggers at James as her face went red with fury.

"That's it. I'm reporting you to McGonagall and if she doesn't take any action, I'm going all the way up the Headmaster. I've had enough of you, James Potter. You've disgust me. It doesn't matter to me how popular you are or how close you are for your friends or how loyal you can be to them. If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats those he thinks are inferior to him, not his equals and you, James Potter, are much less of a man than Severus Snape. Let's go, Severus!" Lily yelled, leaving the four boys in shock as they contemplated her words. Lily marched through the portrait as she and Snape left the Gryffindor common room for the sanctuary of the corridor.

"Arrogant prick," Lily growled as Snape walked alongside her, watching her reaction. Despite how much he hated James, Snape couldn't help but agree with him on one particular point. Lily was too good for him. Snape sighed as he stopped walking as Lily turned back to look at him.

"Severus, what's wrong?" Lily ask with concern as she saw his morose expression.

"I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble, Lily. Not that I'm not grateful for you defending me."

"Well, you certainly took it better than you did the last time I defended you from James and his goons. I recall you shouting at me, saying you didn't need my help." Lily said with a smirk on her face.

"I was young and stupid. Felt embarrassed having a girl defend me, like I couldn't stand up for myself. Not that there's anything wrong with that!" Snape said hastily as Lily cocked an eyebrow at him. "I mean…I just…thank you, Lily."

"No need to thank me," Lily said as she smiled at him. "No one gets away with bullying my best friend. You've always been there for me when we were younger, Severus, especially when I felt like a freak."

"You're not a freak!" Snape exclaimed with a shriek.

"I know that," Lily said as she laughed at his reaction. "That's because you had my back and I'm always going to have yours. Listen, this can't go on. James is getting out of control and one day, he's going to go too far. We have to stop this now, Severus. I'm going to McGonagall and I am going to demand that she does something besides simply punishing them." Lily said with such passion that Snape felt his stomach turning inside out.

"He is popular though. And he's the star of the Quidditch team. I doubt he'll stop doing what he does." Snape sighed as Lily grabbed his hand.

"Severus Snape, look at me."

Snape stared into those beautiful emerald eyes of hers.

"I mean what I said to James. You're far better than you give yourself credit for." Lily whispered before planting a peck on his cheek. Snape felt his cheek burn as his entire body stood still for the moment. Butterflies were flying about in his stomach as he felt a wonderful burst of joy and warmth spreading throughout his entire body.

"Come on, let's go," Lily spoke as she turned around to walk down the corridor. As Snape followed her, his mind was fixated on only one thought. The same thought that had been around from the moment he spied Lily and his sister, Petunia at the playground many years ago.

He was in love with Lily Evans.

…

"Merlin, this stinks!" James complained as he scrubbed the walls with soap. Snape kept his mouth shut as he continued to mop the floor. Professor McGonagall had asked both Snape and James to come to her office for mediation session. As expected, this led to a blazing row between the two resulting in the explosion of a cauldron from a misfiring hex. McGonagall had been furious and ordered both boys to clean her office with no magic as part of detention. She then threatened to give them detention over and over again until both her students could behave in a civil manner towards each other.

"How many more detentions do we have, Snivellus?" James drawled as he flung his brush to the side.

"Until we learn to get along," Snape replied curtly as he dropped onto a chair, exhausted at the work that had taken them three hours and was still not even halfway done.

"Merlin, we're going to get detention until we graduate. Hope you're happy with that, Snivellus!" James snapped as he glared at Snape who glared back.

"I rather do these detentions than become friends with you, Potter!"

"Right back at you!"

"It's your fault we're in this mess anyways! Firing a Stunning spell?! Don't you know how to control your wand, Potter?" Snape growled as James glared at him. Snape noticed James absentmindedly trying to reach for his wand only to realise that he had forgotten McGonagall had confiscated both of their wands. Crunching his knuckles, James sneered back at Snape.

"You're lucky I'm too tired right now to do anything to you, Snivellus. Otherwise, I'll hit you so hard in the face that you might actually look good for once."

Snape let out a mocking laugh. "Do your worst, Potter. You think this is the first time I've been threatened with violence. I can take a hit. I've been taking hits all my life!"

James looked stunned. "What do you mean?"

"Never mind." Snape snapped as he went back to his mop. He had nearly revealed the truth of his upbringing to his most despicable foe. Not even Lily knew how bad it was back at home.

"Did someone hit you before?" James asked, not wanting to let it go.

"Drop it," Snape growled.

"You said all your life. I've only hit you once and that was in Hogwarts. Who else takes shots at you, Snivellus?"

"Why do you care?!" Snape retorted as James flinched for a moment before glaring back at Snape.

"Fuck it! Whoever hitting you must have had a good reason to, then!"

Snape threw the mop down with such force that it split into two. He never felt such anger, such fury rushing through him before. Usually, James's insults would hit a sore spot with Snape but none had been quite as personal as this. Snape glared with all his might at James who had momentarily looked startled at his reaction before glaring back defiantly as well.

"A good reason, you say? Tell me then, Potter, what good reason does a parent have for hitting a son? Or a father for striking his child just because he didn't have his fill of alcohol in his lungs? Perhaps you think there's a good reason for my father abusing all my life, calling me names like freak and hitting much anywhere he can with a fist or a bottle or a belt! You have no idea, no fucking idea just how bad my life has been, Potter. You come from a family who loves you, cares for you and adores you with clothes and food and riches while I suffer each and every day. If not for magic, who knows what I would become? So yes, praise my father for beating me up. Praise parents who abuse their children. Praise them all, Potter! I expect nothing less from the likes of you."

Snape could see that James was stunned. Not wanting a reply, Snape grabbed the top half of the broken mop and proceeded to mop the other ends of the room. He wanted to get as far away from James as possible.

"I'm sorry."

Nothing but the shock at hearing these words coming out from James of all people could have caused Snape to look up. He could see James staring at him as his face held a strange expression, one that Snape could only presume to be sympathy though sympathy was the last thing he expected James would feel for him.

"Why didn't you do anything? You're a wizard, aren't you?" James asked curiously as Snape snorted in response.

"I'm underaged, for one thing, and wizards can't use magic against Muggles. That's against the law."

"Yeah, but he hit you. Screw the law." James said as Snape looked away.

"It's not how I do things," Snape said as he continued to mop.

"Well, you're a Gryffindor aren't you? Live up to the name then. Stick for yourself. Heck, report him to the authorities or something. Tell McGonagall! Merlin, grow a backbone will you?"

Snape bit back a retort as he continued mopping. James yell out a growl of frustration as he walked towards Snape and grabbed the broken mop, flinging it to the side.

"Do you want to know why I pick on you so much? It's because you're a stinking hypocrite. You may wear a Gryffindor tie, have Gryffindor robes and eat at the Gryffindor table but you're no Gryffindor, Snape. You're a stinking Slytherin in Gryffindor robes. You've always been one."

"Well, screw you, Potter!" Snape growled as he stood toe-to-toe with James.

"Don't try to deny it! Is your father the reason why you hate Muggles so much? Maybe that's why you hate Muggleborns too!"

Snape gave a derisive laugh. "My best friend is Muggleborn."

"And you think that matters!" James yelled as he glared at Snape. "Lily is the ONLY one who you set aside your prejudice for. I've seen the way you look at Muggleborns and how you talk about people who aren't wizards, like werewolves or vampires or elves! If there was a sign-up sheet to join You-Know-Who, I won't be surprised to see your name on it! I recall how Avery and Mulciber bully members of our house like Bryan Thomas for being Muggleborn and what do you do when you saw it happening? You just stood there, doing nothing until Sirius had to intervene! You should listen to what Lily said about being a man and how he treats his inferiors. Just because you got a hard-on for Lily doesn't excuse your behaviour towards others who are just like her! That's why I pick on you because when the time comes to stand out and be counted as a Gryffindor, you skulk away like a Slytherin. Which is what you are, deep down. You may have fooled Lily but you haven't fooled me. My dad always told me that you are who you choose to be. So choose!" James said as he shoved Snape to the floor.

Every fibre of his body wanted to fling himself at James and continue to pound on his face and yet, for the first time since meeting James Potter, Snape couldn't help but feel that this time, maybe James had a point.

…..

"Give that back!"

Snape was walking down the fifth-floor corridor when he heard a shriek emanating from around the corner. Snape crept towards the corner before sticking his head to see what was happening. Mary Mcdonald, a third year in his house was crying as she tried to grab her books that Mulciber and Avery, two Slytherins from the same year as Snape, were throwing about in the air. Lucius Malfoy, a seventh-year prefect was yawning loudly as he chuckled at the sight of a distraught Mary trying frantically to grab at her books.

"Oh, the Mudblood speaks!" Avery snarled as he pushed Mary to the floor. "Trying to learn to be a real witch, eh Mudblood?"

"A real witch?! Mudbloods can't be witches. Not unless they steal it from someone else." Mulciber growled as Mary continued to cry.

"Please, I just want to get to class."

"Shut up!" Mulciber snapped as he threw her books all around the corridor. "I heard you singing some stinking Muggle song. Maybe I should teach you a lesson. Like, sew your mouth shut." Mulciber said as he pointed his wand at Mary. Fortunately, Lucius decided to intervene.

"No magic is permissible in Hogwarts walls, Mulciber. The Headmaster can detect it." Lucius said as Mulciber and Avery took a step back. It was clear, to Severus, that Lucius was the one calling the shots.

Snape thought back to what James had said to him the day before. Indeed, Snape had only defended Lily when it came to other wizards or witches who tried to take shots at her. He had often walked away and turned a blind eye when it came to anyone else and yet for some reason, Snape couldn't feel his feet moving. He stared at the sight of Mary cowering under Avery, Mulciber and Lucius who were laughing evilly as they advanced upon her. Snape looked towards Lucius Malfoy when suddenly, a strange thought appeared in his head.

Snape saw his father.

For some reason, Lucius had become the splitting image of Tobias Snape, advancing upon Mary who now took on the appearance of an eight-year-old Severus as he cowered under the belt that Tobias was holding in his hand. Noticing a window in front of him, Snape saw, in the reflective glass of one of the window panes, that he had turned into Eileen Prince, his mother, who often did nothing as she watched her husband lash out at her son. Snape felt his blood started to boil.

All this time, Snape had hated Muggles. Muggles who had no understanding of magic and chose to lash and strike out at their kids for being abnormal. Muggles like his father who liked to belittle and abuse those whom he deemed inferior under him. Snape recalled how in his second year, he had snuck out, hidden under a Disillusionment Charm, to the Forbidden Forest to sit with wizards and witches, most of whom were in Slytherin, to hear the talks that Lucius and a few other Slytherin students had given about the importance of being pureblood and how they were willing to follow in the steps of Lord Voldemort and wipe out all the Muggles and Muggleborns of the world. How Snape admired Lucius! How he wanted to be like him!

But now…

Now, all Snape saw was just another bully. A bully just like his father, just like James, who sought to take out their frustrations on others they felt were inferior to them. It was not lost on Snape that it took a bully like James to help him see the light. Blood didn't matter! None of it did! Shouldn't someone whose blood was as pure as Lucius treat others with respect and kindness? How different might the world be? Yes, Snape may have believed in pureblood supremacy but attacking an innocent girl was it was all about then Snape wanted no part of it.

 _If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats those he thinks are inferior to him, not his equals_

Lily's words rung inside his head as Snape reached for his wand. James was right. Snape was a hypocrite. He was a coward. He would defend Lily with all his might and yet, why didn't he do the same for others who needed his help as well? What was it he said to Lily all those years ago?

" _Does it make a difference, being Muggle-born?"_

 _Snape hesitated. His black eyes, eager in the greenish gloom, moved over the pale face, the dark red hair._

" _No," he said. "It doesn't make any difference."_

So why did it matter if Mary McDonald was Muggleborn?

"We don't need magic to sew up that mouth, do we lads?" Lucius said icily as Avery and Mulciber chuckled sinisterly.

No.

It did not matter.

It never did.

Yet here she was, Mary Mcdonald, his fellow Gryffindor being bullied by three large and despicable Slytherins. And Snape despised bullies.

"HEY!"

Snape saw Lucius's head spinning around as Avery and Mulciber turned away from Mary to look at him. Surprise registered for the moment before Avery and Mulciber glared at the Gryffindor crest on Snape's robes while Lucius gave him a smirk.

"Ah, Severus, come to join?"

"Leave Mary alone. Leave her alone and walk away. This is my only warning." Severus said coldly as he walked towards Mary.

"You sticking up for your Mudblood friends?" Avery growled as he tried to advance towards Snape only to be blocked by Lucius.

"Now, now, Avery. Severus here hates Mudbloods just as much as us, don't you Snape? I recalled how you first spoke about them during the ride in the Hogwarts Express. Such a pity that the Hat placed you in Gryffindor. You would have made an excellent Slytherin." Lucius drawled as he winked at Severus who wanted nothing more than to curse his face to oblivion.

"Don't use that word. Mary's Muggleborn and there's nothing wrong with that. You guys are nothing but monsters and bullies."

"Nothing wrong with that?" Lucius exclaimed crossly as he glared at Snape. "Did you spend too much time soaking in the Mudblood air of your common room, Severus? She's a Mudblood! There's all that is to that!"

"SHE'S A MUGGLEBORN AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT!" Snape yelled so loud that the other three wizards were startled by his tone. Lucius was the first to compose himself. He sneered at Snape, the disgust evident on his face.

"You disappoint me, Severus. But then again, I can't be surprised seeing how you chose to associate yourself with that Mudblood whore."

 _STUPEFY!_

Lucius flew back as soon as he felt the impact on the curse. He crashed into Avery who gave a yelp as he collapsed under the weight of the much larger seventh year. Mulciber, however, managed to dodge both of them as he threw one of Mary's books towards Snape, causing the latter to drop his wand. At the sight of the wand falling, Mulciber threw himself onto Snape as they grappled on the floor.

"Get out of here, Mary!" Snape shouted as he wrestled with Mulciber. Unfortunately for Snape, Mulciber was twice his size and used his large weight to pin Snape to the ground. Mary looked at Snape with fear before nodding and running off.

"You're nothing but a filthy Mudblood lover, half-blood. Since you don't care about blood, you won't care that I take it from you." Mulciber spat as he threw his fist onto Snape's face. Snape heard the crack of his nose before a blinding pain seared throughout his face. Any other person might have screamed with pain but pain was no mystery to Snape. He had harder punches before. Squirming his left leg from under Mulciber, he raised it with such force that his knee connected with a very important part of Mulciber's body.

"Ahhhh!" Mulciber screamed in pain as he doubled over with his hands firmly between his thighs. Snape got up and proceeded to go for his wand.

 _Expelliarmus!_

Snape watched as his wand flew in the air towards Lucius who caught it with his right hand. Seething in anger, Lucius ordered Avery to pin Snape down. The pain from his broken nose was getting to him.

"You pathetic little worm. You tried to stun me? ME?! I should report you for using magic. Perhaps that is the Gryffindor way. But we Slytherins do things a little different." Lucius whispered dangerously as he pointed Snape's wand at him.

"Pin him down good, Avery!" Lucius barked as Avery complied. "I'm going to use the Cruciatus curse on him."

Avery's eyes popped out of his head as Snape looked at Lucius with fear.

"But…that's Unforgivable! You would be sent to Azkaban, Lucius!" Avery whispered loudly as Lucius rolled his eyes.

"Not if I'm using his wand, Avery. We can just say that Severus here attacked us with the curse but we managed to subdue him and turn the curse on himself. The school won't bother with our memories, they'll just check whose wand the curse came from and that's it. No one will know." Lucius replied grimly as Avery nodded his head. Lucius turned his attention to Snape.

"Looks like you chose the wrong side," Lucius whispered before taking a breath. "Cruc – "

 _SLAM!_

All Snape could see was a large shadow throwing themselves onto Lucius as he toppled over. Snape suddenly felt his hands able to move as Avery was yanked off him.

"Get away from him."

Once again, nothing could have pulled Snape away from the pain except for the sound of a very familiar voice.

James Potter was here. And he was throwing Avery to the wall as Remus and Peter pointed their wands at Avery and Mulciber. Snape turned to see Sirius Black grappling with Lucius who pulled himself off Sirius.

"Potter, Black! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Beating the shit out of you! What else do you think?" Sirius growled as he circled Lucius Malfoy.

"You mess with one Gryffindor, you mess with all of us," Remus added as he glared at Avery.

"Yeah.." Peter whimpered as he struggled to point his wand at Mulciber who was still groaning in pain.

"So get lost!" James shouted as Lucius Malfoy took another look before calling Avery and Mulciber to follow him. Snape watched as the Slytherins disappeared from his sight.

"Peter, go to Madam Pomfrey and tell her one of the students had an accident. Remus, help gather the rest of Mary's things. You all right there, Severus?"

Snape, who had been holding his nose, stared up at James Potter who held out his hand as Sirius Black lifted Snape from his back. Together, the two boys managed to lift Snape up and each took an arm as they walked with Snape towards the hospital wing.

"What did you call me?" Severus asked as James grinned at him.

"Well, can't really call you Snivellus after what you just did."

"That was totally bad-ass!" Sirius hooted out loud.

Severus glanced at James, taking in the smile that James was giving him. Surely, it must have been a dream. Only a dream could explain why his most hated foe was smiling and helping him, saving him from what could only be described as incredible torture.

"I guess I owe you an apology, Severus. I was wrong. You're not a coward." James said.

"Then what am I?" Severus asked randomly, still surprised that James was helping him.

"You're a Gryffindor and more importantly, you're a hero. If Mary hadn't found us and told us what was happening, I wouldn't have believed it. But seeing you standing up to Lucius and those imbeciles, it really changed my mind. Though, mind you, we're not like best friends or anything!" James added as Sirius chuckled.

"We should give him a new name."

"What's wrong with Severus?" Snape said with a frown as James gave him a thoughtful look.

"Nah, too long and too close with Snivellus," James replied before beaming with pride. "I know! We'll call you Sev! Has a nice ring to it."

As Severus walked with James and Sirius towards the hospital wing, he couldn't help but agree on his new nickname.

…

 _1974_

"Sev! Wait up!"

Snape stopped in his tracks as he saw James running at him on the grounds, no doubt coming from the Quidditch Pitch. Each time he looked at James smiling at him, Snape could not help but believe that he was somehow dreaming. A year ago, they wanted to tear each other apart and now, James had become one of his closest friends, together with Remus, Sirius, and Peter although the last two had taken some time before accepting it.

"What's up, James?" Snape said as he smiled. James had such an infectious and passionate personality that Snape could not help but be drawn towards him. He knew now why James was indeed so popular. He chuckled at the thought that Lily had once said that even though she was Severus's best friend, she sometimes felt jealous at the two boys chatting and laughing away. Their friendship had been good for James as well. After that fight with Lily a year ago and Snape standing up for Mary, James no longer had a vindictive bullying side except maybe towards the Slytherins who still tried to rile them up with their pureblood speak.

 _Purebloods! Blah!_ Snape no longer had the same sentiments he did a year ago. He had changed quite a bit.

"Wanted to thank you for your help with my Potions, mate! You and Lily are just naturals, I tell you." James said as he brushed off the dirt that had gathered on him during his Quidditch training.

"Happy to help. Slughorn's good but he can be quite pompous sometimes." Snape said as James nodded in agreement. Looking around him to see that no one was watching, James motioned for Snape to get closer.

"Listen." James whispered as he looked around him once more. "There's something I need to tell you and this has to stay secret between us, okay? No one outside the Marauders know about this."

Snape nodded his head. It was a well-known fact that one thing about James that was special was his devoted loyalty towards the Marauders, the name James came up with for himself, Sirius, Remus and Peter. To have James place his trust on you was not something to be taken lightly.

"I don't know if you notice but Remus, well…err… he's not just a wizard." James said as he looked expectedly at Snape. All of a sudden, a light bulb clicked in Snape's head as he realised what James was saying. Back when they weren't friends, Severus often insinuated that Remus, especially with his disappearance coinciding on the appearance of the full moon, was indeed a werewolf.

"I think I know what you're talking about," Snape whispered as James gave him a curious stare. "Do you need me to make the Wolfsbane Potion?"

James's eyes widened in realization. "So you know…"

"I've suspected."

"And you know how to make Wolfsbane?! Merlin, Sev, you should be teaching the class!" James said in awe that a fourth year would know how to concoct such a complex potion. Snape blushed at the compliment. It wasn't every day that James Potter was impressed with you.

"This is brilliant! But no, we're not in need of it. Dumbledore's already seen to it." James said as he patted Snape on the back. "What I wanted to tell you is that well, Remus, when he's in his furry state, often gets quite lonely. So the rest of us decided we wanted to spend more time with him. So we were thinking, seeing that you're brilliant at charms as well, do you want to…become Animagus?"

Snape did a double-take as he comprehended what James was saying to him. Using Animagi to become animals did make sense as werewolves don't normally attack other animals but it was a difficult spell to master and more importantly, illegal if done without the proper registration. Yet the lure of James Potter, who constantly broke the rules, trusting him with something like this attracted Sev greatly. Furthermore, Remus had been the nicest out of the four even back when they hated each other and helping him only lead to Snape nodding his head fervently.

"Excellent! We'll make a Marauder out of you yet."

Snape's jaw dropped. "You want me to be a Marauder?"

James chuckled at the sight of Snape's expression. "Well, you did pass the one-year probationary measure. And you're my friend, Sev! You were a Marauder long before this."

Severus felt a rush of joy throughout his body. It was one thing to have Lily as a friend but having James by his side made him realise just how happy he was that the Hat chose to send him to Gryffindor.

"Anyways, I know you're close with Lily," James said as he awkwardly rubbed his hand behind his head. "But for obvious reasons, you can't tell her about this. The less people who know, the better."

"My lips are sealed," Snape said as James beamed at him before giving him a wicked grin.

"So… speaking of Lily, why haven't you made a move on her yet?" James asked as Severus blushed deeply.

"She's with Tom Davies now. The sixth-year Ravenclaw." Snape said with a grimace as James cringed at the mention of Tom's name.

"That prat?! He's a randy git, is what he is. Lily deserves better. You should take her away from him. I heard their relationship is on the rocks." James said as he patted Snape on his back.

"Be that as it may, she's still with him," Snape said with a sigh as James rolled his eyes before grabbing Snape's arms.

"Look, Sev, you can't be Lily's white knight forever, mate. You either got to man up and tell her how you feel or someone else might come swooping. I mean, Lily is really pretty and quite the catch!"

Snape gave James a confused look, one mixed with fear. Was James interested in Lily? James, the popular and handsome boy of Gryffindor who girls often swooned as he walked by, would no doubt be a much better option than himself. Seeing the look on Snape's face, James gave a laugh.

"No! Don't worry about me, mate. Yes, I'll admit that I do find her quite attractive. I mean, which bloke wouldn't?" James spoke before raising his hand as Snape looked ready to protest. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to go for her, even if she does want me in that way. You're my mate now, Sev and that means more to me than anything else. No matter how I feel, I won't get in the way. What's that saying again? Willies before lilies?"

Snape cringed at the innuendo as James laughed once more before saying goodbye as he made his way back to the castle. Snape let out a sigh and a smile as he watched James disappear from his sight. No doubt, James meant what he said and it gave a small comfort to Snape that he didn't have to compete with James for Lily's affections. Walking towards the patch of grass that stood away from the Whomping Willow, Snape was surprised to see Lily seated on the ground crying.

A rush of protectiveness came over Snape as he hurried towards Lily's side. Seeing her tear and knowing his best friend better than to instantly pry information out, Snape took out his hanky and passed it to her while he seated quietly by her side.

"Thank you." Lily sniffed as she wiped her tears. For the longest time, they sat there in silence. Snape racked his brains trying to figure out the best way to approach the subject when all of a sudden, Lily broke the silence.

"Tom and I broke up. Or rather, I dumped him."

"Oh," Snape replied, hoping his tone hadn't given way to the rush of elation knowing the prat was no longer the centre of Lily's affections.

"I saw him and Susie Peterson going at it in a broom closet. Needless to say, he got caught with his pants down in the literal sense."

What was once happiness had turned to anger as Snape realized what Tom had done. He had hurt his Lily! Snape growled in anger as he balled his fists, thinking how lucky it was for Tom that it was Lily and not Snape that caught him.

"I'll kill him. How dare he? How bloody dare he!"

"Severus, stop. It's okay. I wasn't crying because of him." Lily sniffed as she cleared her throat.

Snape was surprised. "Then what are you crying about?"

Lily sighed out loud before giving Snape a bittersweet smile and staring at him in such a serious manner that Snape felt a shudder.

"Severus, what's love?"

Perhaps it was the randomness of the question that caused Snape to hesitate. Perhaps it was the fact that this was Lily, _Lily Evans_ , who was asking the question. The girl whom he became friends with, went to Gryffindor for. The girl whom Severus Snape loved with all his heart.

"Err… is that question rhetorical?" Snape said, unable to give out an answer. To his relief, Lily chuckled softly as she smiled at him.

"I suppose it is. Severus, I'm not upset at Tom for doing what he did. Merlin knows I've heard the rumours that he likes to flirt with other girls and that his last two girlfriends were cheated on by him as well."

"Then why did you date him?" Snape asked, curious that someone as level-headed as Lily could fall for a bloke like Tom.

"I suppose it's the girly nature in me. Tom's kind of like a bad boy and he is good looking. Plus, he's the captain of the Ravenclaw Team and a prefect."

"So you like Quidditch players…" Snape trailed off as he thought bitterly of another familiar Quidditch player who so happens to have a thing for Lily as well.

"I like boys who aren't afraid to be themselves around me. I'm not attracted to Tom because of the way he looks or what he does though I have to admit that those are a bonus but it's the way I could be around him. Not having to worry that Tom would be so enamoured with me that he would change himself to become the guy he thinks I want him to be. There's nothing more unappealing to a girl than a guy who's clingy, Severus, and Merlin knows that I've had my share of bad dates. The thing about Tom was that he was this rebel with a devil-may-care attitude, unafraid of anything. Strangely, he was more Gryffindor than Ravenclaw." Lily mused.

"But what's wrong with a guy that just wants to be there for you? Make sure nothing bad ever happens to you?" Snape said as Lily smiled at him.

"Girls want to be loved, Severus. They don't want to be saved. Not all of us are damsels in distress. Girls want guys who love them and guys who they can love but how can you love someone who changes who he is for you? I don't need a protector, Severus."

"Then why were you crying?"

Lily sighed as she plucked a flower from the ground.

"Because I changed, Severus. I was so love-struck by Tom that I changed who I was for him. Look at what I did, Severus. How I neglected my studies, my work, and even our friendship. Don't try to deny it. If not for James and you becoming such close friends, I might have destroyed what we had." Lily sniffed as she laid her head to rest on his shoulder. Snape felt his stomach twisting once more as he put his arm around her and pulled her close.

"I'm always going to be your friend, Lily," Severus whispered as he pulled her close. The whiff of her rose shampoo always made the toes of Snape tingle as he felt his heart beating faster and faster.

"Well, see that you do. Because Sev, if any guy ever comes between us, then I rather be single! Your friendship means more to me than anything else."

As Snape looked at Lily who was leaning on his shoulder while trying to brush her long strands of red hair off her face, he couldn't help but wonder what his life might have been if she hadn't existed. He couldn't imagine a world without Lily Evans. As she looked up to smile at him, Snape thought back to the most beautiful things that he had ever seen. Hogwarts in the distance as snow fell from the sky. The comet that was streaking across the sky as seen through the telescope of the Astronomy Tower. The Patronus that he created during a Patronus Charms class. All of it paled in comparison as Snape held his breath at the sight of the gorgeous redheaded beauty on his side, without a shadow of a doubt, the most beautiful thing his eyes have ever laid their eyes on.

 _Tell her_

Snape could hear James's voice, egging him on inside his head.

 _But what if she just wants to be friends?_

 _What if she wants something more?_

 _I cannot lose her as a friend. Not Lily. Never Lily._

 _You won't lose her, Sev, you got to know that._

 _I…..I can't…I'm sorry_

"Sev, you okay?" Lily asked, her green eyes staring curiously at Snape

"Yeah, just thinking about your question," Snape said hastily, eager to not let Lily suspect a thing.

"Which one?"

"What is love to you, Lily?"

Lily raised her head from his shoulder as Snape felt a slight disappointment in her action. She turned to look at Snape, a wide smile etched on her face.

"Love to me, Severus, is the most beautiful thing in this world. Anyone can fall in love, mind you, but true love, now that's rare. To truly love someone, I believe, it means to care for them more than you care about yourself. Don't get me wrong, Sev, it doesn't mean you change who you are but you love them for everything that they are, flaws and all and you would do anything to make them happy."

"But what if they don't love you back?"

"Then you move on. Or you don't." Lily replied after a thought. "But in the case of true love, you don't stop loving them, even if they leave you or they hate you. Love transcends everything. Time. Space. Death. There's nothing in this world more special than having someone feel true love towards you. But like I said, it's rare. Not even the longest marriages can say that they feel such a way. Why do you want to know?" Lily asked curiously as she looked at him.

"Nothing. Just wanted to know. So I guess you didn't feel true love for Tom, huh?" Snape chuckled as Lily made a face.

"Merlin, no! Eww… Tom can go to hell for all I care. It's just attraction, after all."

"Attraction?"

"Yes, attraction," Lily said passively as she waved her hand. "You can't be in a relationship with someone without attraction. If there's no attraction, there's no chance."

"Could you love someone who wasn't attracted to you?"

"Of course. But without the attraction, it all comes to naught. So if you want to get a girl to notice you, Severus, you got to make sure she's attracted to you first."

"So you change yourself?" Snape said with a grin as Lily laughed.

"Image is important but even if attraction doesn't happen straightway, it can come later. Why are you asking me all this? Is there someone who you fancy, Sev? Tell me!" Lily giggled as she shook his arm eagerly.

 _Tell her!_

 _No!_

"Err… no. I was just curious." Snape said as Lily looked strangely disappointed before perking up with a grin.

"Well, I know someone who fancies you. Mary McDonald."

"Mary?!" Snape cried in astonishment. "But why would Mary fancy me?"

"Because you stood up for her?"

"I thought you said girls didn't like to be saved?"

"Not all the time!" Lily cried indignantly. "It's nice to have someone stand up for you and well, Mary always had a thing for brave and smart boys. If you want, I could put in a good word for you."

"You'll do that?" Snape said, still unable to get over the fact that Mary liked him.

"Of course. What are friends for? I'll expect the same thing from you if a guy likes me. Not now though but when I'm ready to date." Lily chuckled as she stood on her feet. "Got any guys for me, Sev?"

"Hahaha…" Snape forced a laugh as he tried to ignore the pang of jealousy that coursed throughout his body as his thoughts turned towards a certain raven-haired rebel and well-loved Quidditch player.

…..

 **Leaving it here for now. Will update soon!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sorry for the wait but I was writing and rewriting this over and over and it took me quite a bit. I originally intended for this to be a three-shot but there's just so much to write about that it might extend further than that. We haven't even gotten to the good part yet! Anyways, after watching the brand new and final trailer for Fantastic Beasts 2, I got to say that I am so pumped for it! It actually made me wish that more HP movies could be done focusing on like the Marauders Era and others.**

 **In this chapter, I've taken a few liberties with some of the characters like Alice and Frank Longbottom, both of whom are older than Snape and co. and yet are in the same year. So don't think too much of it and just enjoy the read. Do give me reviews if you can! Take care!**

 **Disclaimer: I own not a single property of HP as all of it belongs to Robert Galbraith.**

 **The Importance of Being Snape**

 _ **Chapter 2**_

 _1975_

"Hahaha…stop it James… my sides can't take anymore!" Lily laughed heartily as James told her yet another story involving the time he tried to dress up Peter and Sirius to pose as his parents for meeting with Slughorn. Sirius was beside himself, roaring with laughter while Peter merely shook his head in embarrassment. Snape trudged behind them in the snow; his eyes firmly planted on the names of all the shops in Hogwarts and not on the sight of Lily giggling as James regaled her with yet another story.

Ever since she broke up with Tom and Snape had joined the Marauders, Lily and James had gotten much closer than before. As the six of them would hang out often, Snape couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy at having to share his best friend with James and the rest. Yes, Lily did say he was always going to be her best friend but friendships change over time, don't they? Yes, that was why he was jealous. It had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that most often than not, Lily spend most of the time chatting with James as she laughed at all his jokes and would seem quite eager to meet him most of the time.

Snape even noticed things about Lily that he never really paid much attention to before. Like how she gives hugs to everyone she meets. Or how long those hugs last. Snape was not one to compare, seeing as how he and Lily were always best friends but now? Snape found himself counting every second that Lily spends giving hugs to each of the Marauders. She wasn't particularly close with Peter, would often get into arguments with Sirius, was amicable enough with Remus and yet with James, she seem to reserve her best emotions for him. Snape noticed even how she and James often made contact, either through a hug or something as innocent as an accidental brush of their hands.

Contact. Like what they were doing now.

Lily had lost her footing and James had stuck out his hand almost immediately. Snape noticed how Lily clung to his arm as James tried to steady her. Snape narrowed his eyes as he could hear his voice growling softly. The green-eyed monster had taken over him once again as Snape gripped his wand tightly. James met his eyes when he was staring back but had not realised how Snape actually felt as he gave Snape a warm smile before mocking Lily for being a klutz.

 _Hex him. He's stealing your girl_.

 _No! James is my friend and Lily isn't my girl._

 _But she could be! Tell her how you feel! Profess your undying love for her!_

 _No!_

 _You're a pathetic wimp, you know that! Lily deserves better than you!_

 _Shut up._

 _Look, she's already fallen for James and he's clearly enamoured with her. Soon, they'll be going out..._

 _I said shut up._

… _Snogging..._

 _Shut up!_

… _Shagging…_

 _SHUT up!_

 _And then they're probably going to get married while you die alone. Why? Because she doesn't love you._

 _I SAID SHUT UP!_

"Galleon for your thoughts, Sev?"

Snape snapped himself from his thoughts as he turned to see Remus Lupin giving him a concerned look.

"It's nothing. Just some bad thoughts." Snape said dismissively, not wanting to draw further attention.

"Care to share?"

"Sorry Remus, it's personal."

Remus smiled at Snape as he raised his hands in the air. "Trust me, I get that."

Remus and Snape continued to walk behind the other four as the sextet of friends made their way to the Three Broomsticks which was still quite some distance away. Snape tried to force thoughts of Lily out of his head as he took to thinking about other issues. Looking at Hogsmeade, Snape couldn't help but sigh knowing that he wasn't going to see this village for at least another fourth months. Their fourth year had ended and as a reward for completing their examinations, the Headmaster had declared that third years and above could visit Hogsmeade before leaving Hogwarts. Severus grimaced at the thought of going back to Spinner's End.

Even though his father had somehow mellowed, particularly when Snape scared him with the idea that he could perform magic outside of school as well as a visit from the Headmaster, Snape couldn't stand the idea of living at Spinner's End for four months. Sure, he could meet Lily almost every single day but he didn't quite like the idea this year. Particularly if it meant he had to listen to Lily sing praises about James, which is what she would most likely do once she realises she's in love with him.

"He won't do anything, you know."

Lupin's voice had brought Snape out of his thoughts again. Snape turned to see Remus giving him a knowing look.

"Look, I know I'm not supposed to pry but it doesn't take a genius to see what you're glaring at and to put two and two together. We all know you fancy Lily, Sev. James won't do anything about it."

"Fancy Lily?!" Snape sputtered as he tried to hide his blushing cheeks. "Not sure what you're talking about, Remus."

Remus laughed out loud. "You were always such a terrible liar, Sev!"

Snape looked appalled as he avoided Remus's gaze.

"Your secret is safe with me, Sev. Just like mine is with you." Remus continued to speak as they were close to approaching the pub. "Sev, you've done quite a bit for me and my mates and you are a Marauder so let me tell you something about James. James loves his friends more than anything else in the world. If there was any girl that myself, Sirius or Peter ever liked, James would step aside for us as he will for you."

Snape let out a snort as he tucked his hands into his jacket. Remus gave Snape a warm smile as they reached the Three Broomsticks. The six of them made their way to a table where Rosmerta, a young twenty-something-year-old barmaid, shook her head as Sirius whistled and tried to flirt with her. Not wanting James to sit next to Lily, Snape made his way in front and sat next to her only to realise that James would probably sit on her opposite side. To his surprise, Remus sat next to Lily while James took a seat next to him.

"Sev, so you and Lily going back to Cokeworth?" James said as he looked at Snape with what was unmistakeably concern. Surprised at the random question, Snape nodded as he accepted a Butterbeer from Peter who had brought it to them instead of Rosmerta who was trying to dodge Sirius's advances.

"Yes, though I hope things with Petunia can go better this term. She's starting to warm up to me." Lily said as she took a swig of Butterbeer. "Speaking of home, I've prepared more bottles for you, Sev," Lily said as Snape's eyes widened.

"More bottles of what?" Remus asked as Lily's eyes were now widening at her mistake.

"It's nothing," Snape said dismissively.

"Then why can't you tell us if it's nothing?" James asked. Snape let out an internal sigh. James never seemed to be able to let things go.

"It's none of your business, James," Lily said as Snape gave her a look of gratefulness. Unfortunately for Snape, Sirius chose that moment to re-join the group.

"What's none of your business?" Sirius asked James who shrugged his shoulders in response.

"I don't know! Lily got Snape some bottles of something?"

"Is it hair gel? Cos I'll be more than happy to share some of my stuff with you, Sev!" Sirius laughed as Snape's face turned red.

"It's not hair gel," Snape replied curtly.

"Is it Firewhiskey?" Peter asked.

"Guys, just drop it!" Lily exclaimed with such authority that Peter cowered a little. Sirius and Remus nodded as they drew silent but James was not so easily deterred.

"Sev, does this have anything to do with your father?" James asked, ignoring the warning look that Lily was shooting him. Snape sighed out loud this time. It was useless to keep it up. Sooner or later, James had to know.

"Lily got me bottles of Essence of Dittany. It's for my wounds." Snape said as James frowned.

"What is that bastard doing to you?" James whispered angrily.

"James!" Lily shouted indignantly but Snape held up his arm.

"Father hasn't been very…nice lately," Snape said, thinking about the previous summer where Tobias had spent nearly each day shouting and hitting him. His mother had tried to intervene but that did her no good.

"That does it!" James said as he slammed his fist on the table. "You're coming to stay with me at Godric's Hollow. That's your home now."

"What?!" cried the other four in unison as Snape's eyes popped out of his head.

"What do you all mean, what?" James said irritably as he took a swig of Butterbeer. " His parents are neglecting him and that bastard keeps hitting him. It's no place for anyone to live in, let alone Severus here."

"But your parents…" Snape spoke to protest only to have James dismiss him.

"Bollocks to my parents! Merlin knows, they'll understand. You shouldn't have to put it with it any longer. We have plenty of room at our place."

Snape's head was spinning. All his life, Snape had planned to live out on his own the moment he turned seventeen and yet now, James was offering him a place in Godric's Hollow.

"Oh my goodness, that's wonderful!" Lily said as she gave Snape a hug before moving over to hug James. A few minutes ago, Snape would have undoubtedly been jealous of any affection that Lily would throw to James. But now, he felt nothing of the sort. Even though they had become friends, it wasn't until that very moment that Snape finally realised what Remus meant about James. He could see the smile that James was giving him, together with those from Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Lily. All his life, Snape learnt to live with his loneliness. Even with Lily, he still felt lonely, thinking about his home at Spinner's End and how the only family he had was one that neglected and abused him and yet…

Severus Snape wasn't alone. He had friends. Friends like Sirius, Remus, and Peter. Friends like Lily. Friends like James.

"Thank you." Snape croaked out as he realised that his eyes were brimming with tears. He felt Lily squeeze his hand as James placed his hand on his shoulder.

"To friendship!" Remus cried, all of a sudden, as he raised his glass while giving Snape a knowing look. As they toasted and celebrated the day away, Snape couldn't help but think how hard pressed it would be to find a day as happy as this one.

…

Snape paced about in his room as he stared at the bag which held all his items. He had already sent an owl for James. They had agreed that Snape needed to stay a week as they made the necessary arrangements to move him to Godric's Hollow. _One week and today's the day_ Snape thought happily as he looked about his room. It was dusty and dirty with cobwebs hanging from the sides of the walls. The room looked more like a dilapidated shack as Snape stared at the dirty mattress he had used as a bed for the past fifteen years. There was no desk or chair and only a cupboard with mismatched clothes were Snape's only possessions left after he stuffed his Gryffindor robes and school items in his back. If not for him becoming a wizard, Snape shuddered what was to become of him.

An owl flew towards his window as Snape opened it to let owl in. Removing the letter the owl had in its talons, Snape opened the letter to find James's message for him.

 _I'm at the playground. Got the brooms. Get here now_

Quickly scribbling back a message for him, Snape let the owl back out as he made his way to the door. Looking back into his room, Snape wondered if this was the moment where he would get nostalgic about his past. After all, this had been his home for so long. It was no surprise to him that no such sentiments made their way to his heart. Closing the door gently, Snape made his way downstairs to the living room.

"Where do you think you're going?" growled a loud, gruffly voice as Snape turned to see a pale-skinned, large man with yellow teeth and slimy black hair glaring at him. Despite his much smaller frame, Snape couldn't help but feel a little intimidated by the imposing figure of Tobias Snape.

"Going out for a walk. Won't take long." Snape lied, his heart jumping at the irony of his last statement.

"Like hell, you are! Going to meet your freak friends aren't you? I can see your… stick!" Tobias roared as Snape looked down to see his wand jutting slightly out of his pocket.

"Who would I meet?" Sev replied calmly, knowing that a full-blown argument would only be detrimental at this point.

"Are you going to meet Lily?" a new voice spoke as Snape looked behind to see his mother appear. Pale-skinned, black-haired and nearing the age of fifty, a small woman with bright, grey eyes appeared from the bedroom.

"I like Lily. She's nice." Eileen said as Tobias spat on the ground.

"Evans! Such a horrible family. Another one of those high and mighty arses!" Tobias bellowed before fixing a glare at Snape. "I thought I forbid you to talk to her."

"She's not horrible! She's my friend!" Snape snapped angrily, glaring at Tobias. It was one thing to insult him but he would not stand for anyone insulting Lily. Tobias gave a derisive laugh.

"Oh, I think I know what's going here. You fancy her, don't you? You are more than the fool I took you for, Severus. What makes you think a girl like that is ever going to want anything to do with a boy like you? You're useless and pathetic while she's probably gotten shagged by some rich bloke by now!"

"Shut up!" Snape roared as he reached for his wand.

"Severus, no!" Eileen gasped as Tobias smashed an empty beer bottle that he was holding.

"Quite a cheek you got, eh Severus? Telling your old man to shut it. I'll teach you some manners, boy!" Tobias said as he advanced towards Snape. Eileen screamed as Snape failed to pull his wand out in time. He felt his father shove him as he tumbled down the stairs. Pain shot through every part of his body as it hit the sides of the steps. Squirming in pain as he reached the bottom, Snape panted as he tried to will himself out of the door.

"Oh no, you don't! Don't think you're going to get away that easily!" Tobias said as he threw the beer bottle, missing Snape's head by inches. "COME BACK HERE, YOU PATHETIC FREAK!"

"I'M NOT A FREAK!" Snape yelled as he raised his wand at Tobias who stopped in his tracks. Both he and Snape were at the corridor with Snape only a few feet from the door. "One more step at me and I will blast you away!"

"Oh no, you won't! Your mother already informed me last summer that you aren't supposed to use magic in front of me and that your Ministry would expel you from that freak of a school if you use magic being underaged. If you want to go back there, you best be putting that wand down and take your punishment like a real man."

"I'm warning you…" Snape cried in anger as he felt the tears dripping down his face. "Don't you fucking touch me."

"Three… two…." Tobias said menacingly as he closed the distance between Snape and himself.

BAM!

Snape watched as Tobias flew pass him to crash into the living room and falling down unconscious on the floor. Looking back, Snape saw his mother with her wand outstretched as she trembled before rushing to his side.

"Sev, Sev are you okay?!" Eileen asked with such worry that Snape wondered who this woman was. Often during his beating, his mother had set aside and only intervened after the beatings, helping Snape with his injuries. Bringing himself back on his feet and checking that he only had bruises, Snape turned towards his mother.

"I'm fine, Mother," Snape said as Eileen sighed in relief. Holding up Snape's bag in her arm, Snape took it gratefully as Eileen gave him a strange look.

"It's finally happening, isn't it?" Eileen asked softly as she stared into his eyes. "You're running away."

"Yes, I am, Mother," Snape whispered as he looked at her. All his life, his mother had neglected him and often allowed the beatings to happen. Yet despite all that, Snape never felt any particular anger towards his mother. He could see that she was unhappy with this marriage and often wondered why she chose to marry and stay with Tobias in the first place. He had intended to run away and not tell his mother, seeing as that would at least make it believable on her part if Tobias were to question her on his whereabouts. Yet, with Tobias knocked out, Snape felt a sense of comfort as he told his mother about his decision to stay at Godric's Hollow.

"These people, these Potters. Are they good people?" Eileen asked as Snape nodded. "James is my friend, mother. He's a good person."

"Will you be safe there? I thought this James fellow bullied you?"

"He did, once. But to be fair, I did take it out on him as well. Yet we are friends now. James's family will protect me, mother. I will be okay."

Eileen nodded as tears dripped from her cheeks. Pulling him close, Snape felt his mother give him a hug like one he had never received before. Hugs were an abnormality in his household. Yet as he felt the warmth and love from his mother, Snape couldn't help but break out in tears.

"Will you be okay?" Snape sniffed as his mother nodded.

"I'll be fine. I don't want you to worry okay. Sev…I…" Eileen spoke as her eyes started to bulge. Snape felt his mother grab his shoulders tightly. "Severus, do you promise me that you'll be okay? That these people, these Potters, they will take care of you?"

"Yes, they will. I will be okay, Mother."

"Severus," Eileen said gently, after a long and hard thought. "I just want you to know that I'm sorry for everything that happened to you. Everything. I didn't mean for that monster to lay his hands on you but I saw no other way, you see. No other way. I couldn't let you be raised alone out there in the world until I know you'll be safe. I'm so, so sorry, Severus and I love you. I love you so, so much." Eileen wailed as she pulled Snape in for another hug.

"I love you too, Mother," Snape said as he embraced her for as long as he could. "I have to go now," Snape said as he pulled away. Snape saw his mother giving him a strange look as she clutched at her heart, almost as if she were having a heart attack. "Mother, are you okay?" Snape asked, with concern in his voice

"GO NOW!" Eileen yelled desperately as she handed him his bag. "Go now, Severus, and don't look back!"

Bewildered by his mother's tone, Snape took his bag and headed for the door. As soon as it closed, Snape heard a loud sound behind him. Immediately, Snape turned around, pushing the door open frantically.

"Mother, are you o…" Snape gasped out loud as he saw his mother who had just collapsed on the floor. Reaching for her, Snape turned her around and instantly froze as he looked into the lifeless eyes of Eileen Prince.

…

Everything that happened next was a blur. Snape could recall himself screaming out his mother's name before running out of the house to find James. James had then sent an owl for his parents and after the Aurors had come to take away Eileen Prince's body, Snape recalled himself being bombarded by questions before James's father had asked James to take him to his room. James's mother had made for him a Sleeping Draught as Snape felt his eyelids start to droop. It was later that night that Snape woke. He could see James seated next to him as James was having a hushed conversation with his mother.

"So, mom, what happened with Sev's mother? Why did she suddenly die?"

Snape could hear James's voice. He wanted to let them both know that he was awake but something inside Snape told him it was better that he pretended to be asleep. He could hear James's mother sighing.

"The Princes, James, were strong supporters of Grindelwald back in the day. Eileen, Merlin bless her soul, had wanted nothing to do with them but her family were not a very nice group of people. As a punishment for wanting to emancipate herself away from her family, her father forced her into marriage with a Muggle lowlife like Tobias Snape. Said that if she loved Muggles so much, she should have just married one."

"She had to marry that bastard?!" James exclaimed.

"Language, James!" his mother spoke with reproach as James squirmed uncomfortably in his seat.

"But that doesn't explain why his mother died?"

Snape could hear James's mother sighing. He felt a soft hand brushing his hair as Mrs. Potter gently patted on his head.

"Her father was very cruel, you see. He made her swear an Unbreakable Vow that Eileen would never leave her husband's side which is why Eileen never divorced Tobias. And then came the second part of the Vow. That Eileen could not, in any circumstances, use magic against Tobias in any way."

Snape froze as he felt James doing the same. "That explains why his mother never intervened during all those beatings."

"Yes." Mrs. Potter said sadly. "Poor Eileen couldn't do anything. She couldn't leave Tobias nor could she raise her wand at him. If she had intervened physically, Tobias would have only hit her harder and taken it out more on Severus. I'm guessing when Eileen saw Snape's bag and finally realized that this was the moment he would choose to run away, she decided enough was enough and shot that Stunning spell on Tobias. She did it to protect her son, James."

"Couldn't she have just told someone that Tobias was abusing her?"

"Who could she have told? Anyone would have tried to intervene and that would almost certainly mean that Eileen would be forced to separate herself from Tobias. Then, who would take care of Severus?"

James said nothing as Snape felt James's eyes staring at him.

"Who's going to tell him? Can I do it?"

Snape could hear Mrs. Potter chuckled as she bends down to give James a kiss on the forehead. Before he could register, Snape felt a pair of soft lips on his head as well.

"I think it's best if I did it. Besides, the Ministry would probably want to find a place for Snape to stay."

"He's not going anywhere!" James said firmly as Snape pictured James crossing his arms. "He's my friend and he's staying with us."

Mrs. Potter chuckled as she whispered. "I wouldn't have it any other way either. He's going to need you, James. So take care of him, okay."

Snape heard a door shut as the lights in the room went off. He could feel James stirring in his bed as he turned on his side to sleep. Soon, Snape heard the sounds of light snoring. As he tried to will himself to sleep, Snape recalled the last time he had seen his mother. Recalling everything from her jet-black hair to her soft grey eyes, Snape couldn't help but sob silently as he realised one strange detail. That, in all the years he had known his mother, he couldn't recall her smiling as she did just before she died.

….

 _1976_

"Hey, Sev, could you pass me those Charm notes?" Sirius asked as Snape handed them to him. Ever since the death of his mother, Severus had only grown closer to the Marauders and Lily. They were, after all, the only family he had left. His father had his memories Obliviated as soon as James's father had told the Aurors about the abuse Snape had received. Snape couldn't help but give a small smile towards James, who appeared to be grumbling loudly as he continued to memorise his Transfiguration notes once more. The OWLs were right around the corner and each member of the sextet had been on edge, each jumping down each other's throats. Yet a pair had stood out amongst the six.

Snape couldn't help but notice that despite them being closer, Lily and James were constantly arguing and bickering amongst themselves a lot more than usual. Sometimes it was James's fault as James, despite being a brilliant student himself, devoted more time to Quidditch than he did towards his exams. Other times, Snape felt that Lily was being too harsh as she would constantly berate James for the smallest things like talking to girls who were passing by or shifting about too much while they were all studying together. Today, however, the six of them were in the Gryffindor common room when all of a sudden, Sirius slammed his books.

"Okay, that's enough for today, guys. Let's go flying! Got to prepare for our match against Slytherin!"

Lily gave Sirius a withering look. "You do realise that we have examinations on Monday!"

Sirius gave a snort. "It's Friday, Lily and we still have the weekend! What's the point about going through these notes over and over again. If you ask me, it will be a waste of time."

"Our brains do need to relax," Remus said thoughtfully.

"I don't believe this!" Lily exclaimed indignantly. "Sev, back me up here."

Snape looked between the two boys and Lily. Usually, agreeing with Lily was a certainty and she did have a point, seeing as though their examinations were just around the corner. However, they had been going at it for quite a few hours and Snape knew that a break, with some fresh air, would be good for them.

"I don't know, Lily," Snape said warily. "Flying does help to clear the mind."

"Oh, I don't believe this," Lily said exasperatedly. "I know better than to ask James. He's probably already dreaming about…James…James?!"

Everyone turned to look at James who had been absentmindedly staring at Lily. Snape noticed that James's ears had turned slightly pink and his eyes, those piercing green pupils had become slightly dilated. Upon hearing Lily's voice, James shook himself off his own thoughts and he fixed a wide grin on his face.

"What's going on?" James asked sheepishly as Lily rolled her eyes.

Snape felt his stomach twisting hard and not in a good way. He recognised that look.

James Potter was falling for Lily.

…

"Sev, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to laugh." Lily said as she tried to control her giggles. Snape's face was burning as he muttered angrily under his breath. Despite him being good in a lot of areas from Potions to hexes, the one thing Snape had difficulty in was flying. So it was almost inevitable that on one of his attempts to fly around the field lead to him falling off to the ground from three feet. Getting on his feet, however, his broom got caught under his robes as it accidentally yanked the back of it upwards, giving Snape a sort of makeshift wedgie. Snape cringed at the thought of the Marauders laughing at him. If it wasn't for the fact that they were his friends and that it was accidental, Snape might have said some rather nasty things. Instead, he took off back towards the castle with Lily in pursuit. It only pained him further to see James run up to talk to him only for Lily to tell him to go back. Even in his embarrassment, Lily and James seemed to bond closer together.

"It wasn't funny," Snape said bitterly, the thought of James and Lily still on his mind.

"Oh come on, lighten up a little, Severus. Look, Sirius made an arse of himself when he fell to the ground trying to do the Wronski Feint. You don't see him pouting." Lily replied gently as she smiled at him. Snape felt her hand touch his back as she massaged him. Any other time, any physical contact between him and Lily would be more than welcome but now, it felt rather patronising to him. Here he was, pathetic and weak, while James stands out in the group as the sympathetic and attractive leader. It wasn't that Snape hated James as he once did but jealousy was a fickle thing especially when it came to a certain redhead. Knowing anything he would say would just lead to an argument, Snape flinched at the contact as he pulled himself away.

"It's okay. I'm okay. See you guys at dinner. I just need some time, Lily."

Lily gave Snape a look before shrugging her shoulders and turning around to join the group. Snape sighed as he watched her departing figure towards the group of boys who were now screaming and flying about. Not wanting to see any more interaction between James and Lily, Snape walked into the castle as he made his way towards the Gryffindor Tower. Upon entering the common room, he walked by the other students who were busy chatting or studying until he felt a small hand tap his right shoulder. Turning around, Snape was met with an unusual sight.

Alice Macmillan was smiling at him as she twirled her brown curls with her fingers. Behind Alice, was Mary McDonald, whom underneath her dirty-blonde bangs, hid two eager pale blue eyes and a face that was slowing turning crimson.

"Hey there, Sev. I'm wondering if you have a moment. I need to talk to you about something."

Snape composed himself after the initial surprise of seeing two of Lily's friends approach him. Ever since he defended Mary from the Slytherins, Severus had been on good terms with Lily's female friends although their relationship didn't go beyond amicable. He was on speaking terms with them but most of the time, he would converse only with Lily or the Marauders. Looking at Alice's hand, Snape stifled a groan as he spied the flyer that she was holding.

The flyer was part of a campaign for the Hogwarts Ball, a recent event done to allow for inter-house unity, particularly considering the tense atmosphere of the outside world where You-Know-Who and his followers were growing in number. Dumbledore had initially campaigned for students to ask dates from different houses but the response was so overwhelmingly negative that Dumbledore was forced to backtrack on his idea. Snape had often dreamt of asking Lily to the Ball but having put off exposing his feelings for many years by distracting himself, the Ball represented an event he rather much not look forward to. It did help that despite having no shortage of suitors, Lily had yet to accept a date, choosing instead to focus on her OWLs.

 _Of course, now that James is interested, I doubt examinations would be enough to stop her from saying yes_ Snape thought bitterly as he gave Alice a bittersweet smile.

"Sorry, Alice, but I'm kind of in a rush."

"This won't take long, I promise." Alice insisted as she turned to Mary, who nodded her head before squeaking out a goodbye to the pair of them. Alice turned her attention back to Snape as she gave him a wide grin.

"This is kind of personal so I'm wondering if we could go somewhere quiet."

Snape looked baffled at Alice's request who took his silence to as a resounding yes.

"Perfect!" Alice said as she grabbed his hand. "Let's go to the Astronomy Tower. I got Firewhiskey." Alice whispered the last part before winking at him. Snape had been ready to protest until her final words. Thinking back to all his thoughts about James and Lily, perhaps he could use a drink.

…..

"I love moments like this, don't you?" Alice said as she took a swig of Firewhiskey. She and Snape were seated on a ledge at the Astronomy Tower, overlooking the sun as it was setting on the horizon. Even as the winds started to blow and the air became colder, there was something hauntingly beautiful about the Hogwarts Scenery with the rough, green foliage of the Forbidden Forest swaying before the white, snow-capped mountains in the distance. Snape could see his friends congregating on the ground, no doubt making their way to the locker rooms before going to dinner. From this height, Snape was grateful that he couldn't make out who was who as thoughts of James and Lily laughing as they walked together were driving him close to insanity.

"Yeah," Snape mumbled as he shook his head. The Firewhiskey had helped a little but it did not dull his emotions one bit.

"I mean it, Sev," Alice said as she stroked her brown, curly hair. Snape took a moment to gaze upon her. Alice Macmillan was no doubt, quite a stunning figure and her brash attitude made her all the more endearing to boys who were attracted to this "bad-girl" persona types. Perhaps one day, he could look and admire her more but his affection for Lily had Snape's eyes blinded to anyone that wasn't the redhead.

"There's a war going on right now, people are dying and here we are, safe and sound, for the moment before the harsh reality of life catches up with us. Got to take in every moment like this. Doesn't come that often." Alice said as she gave a long sigh before changing her expression to grinning eagerly at Snape.

"Let's cut to the chase, shall we? This isn't just a social outing, Sev. The reason I wanted to talk to you is to find out who you wanted to ask to the ball?"

Snape gave his readily-made answer. "I'm just trying to focus on OWLs now, Alice."

Alice scoffed before shaking her head. She wasn't a person who was easily deterred as Snape noted that her personality was strangely similar to a certain Gryffindor caption.

"Oh come on, Snape. Surely, you have someone in mind."

"Nope, no one comes to mind." Snape lied as he shifted uncomfortable. Alice's smile only got wider.

"Well then, perhaps that's good because guess what? In case you haven't figured it out, seeing as boys can be so clueless sometimes, but Mary's got a thing for you. So as her friend, I'm wondering, if you wouldn't mind asking her out?"

The earnestness behind Alice's request was starting to put him off. It wasn't that Snape had any issues with going to the ball with Mary but Mary wasn't who he wanted to go to the ball with. It had occurred to him that in the slightest possibility that Lily might still want to go to the ball with him as friends.

"I do appreciate Mary's interest in me, Alice, but honestly, I'm just not interested in her like that. I'm afraid that if I do go to the ball, she might have expectations that I just can't live up to." Snape said, having faith that his reasoning for rejecting Mary was sound but Alice had other ideas.

"No worries there, Sev. I'll help to lower Mary's expectations and if she does get some idea that the date is anything but platonic, that will be on me. But can I just ask one question?"

"Sure?"

"Are you just not attracted to Mary or is there something else?"

"What?"

Alice was now the one shifting uncomfortably as she spoke. "I'm wondering if like perhaps you might be…err…not interested in girls. Which I am totally fine with, by the way!" Alice added hastily as Snape blushed hard.

"No. I'm not gay," Snape replied, to the relief of Alice.

"So why then?"

"I'm just not interested in her, that way," Snape said with a shrug as Alice frowned while looking at him.

"No…no…that's not it." Alice muttered softly as she stared at him, as if to try to decipher a hidden meaning to his words.

"Trust me, Alice. That's all there is to it." Severus said in a rush as he got off the ledge. He needed to walk away from this conversation before…

"So it has nothing to do with the fact that you're in love with Lily?"

Alice's words had an immediate impact on Snape as he froze on the spot. No one, outside the Marauders, had suspected or knew on his crush on Lily and Snape knew for a fact that the Marauders kept their secrets to themselves better than any Fidelius Charm.

"W..Wh…What?" Snape stammered as Alice stood up with a triumphant look on her face.

"I knew it! I knew you had a crush on Lily. Your rejection just felt off the way you said it." Alice said as she clapped her hands. "I'm quite the expert on these things. You're rejecting Mary not because you don't want a date but because you want to be someone else's and seeing that the only girl you talk to is Lily, then it has to be her!" Seeing no other way to shut Alice up, Snape nodded furiously.

"Ok, yes, I want to go with Lily. I love her, okay." Snape said as Alice did a sort of mini-dance before stopping abruptly and placing her hands to her mouth. Snape looked confused at Alice's actions as he looked at her shifting her feet uncomfortably while her face had a pained look as if an internal debate was going on.

"What?" Snape asked as his interest in Alice's expression started to rise.

Alice didn't answer though her face remained nervous and pained.

"Alice, if you know something, please tell me," Snape said as his voice turned desperate. All of his insecurities, his wild thoughts, his battering emotions were rising to the surface as Snape began to suspect what he dreaded was to be true.

"Sev… I can't…it shouldn't come from me…" Alice spoke as she smacked her head with her hand, cursing her stupidity for not being able to keep her emotions in check.

"Please…"Snape begged as Alice sighed in resignation before looking sympathetically at him.

"I don't think you should ask Lily to the ball."

"Why not?"

"Because…well because…there might be someone who she's interested to go out with." Alice mumbled the last part, just loud enough for Snape to hear.

"Who?" Snape whispered.

Alice took a long, hard look at him before sighing once again.

"James Potter."

…..

Imagine the most painful feeling in the world. A parent's disappointment in you. The loss of a loved one. The failure to achieve one's intended result. Despite having gone through his fair share of pain in his life, both physical and emotional, nothing would ever compare to hurting as much as hearing that the girl he was in love with was not in love with Snape. Snape felt its sting, piercing through his heart as the pain reverberated around his body through all his corners. His heart felt broken as the heat that had been rising as he waited for Alice to confess was now burning with such menace that Fiendfyre would have been a much more desirable option.

Snape felt it all. The rejection. The confirmation of his worst fears. The betrayal. A part of him wished James to be his enemy once more as it made hating him much easier than what he was now expected to do as his friend. Snape's knees buckled as he dropped to the floor, his wand spilling and rolling on the ground. Fresh tears were already flowing down his cheeks as Snape made a grab for his heart as if trying to hold it back all in place.

Alice gasped upon seeing Snape hit the floor. Seeing the morose figure hit the ground, Alice sat next to him as she threw her arms around Snape. Though not one to be willing to share her bodily contact so easily, Alice felt surprising comfortable as she sought to comfort her distraught friend. Alice waited as the tears started to subside before Snape pulled away as he scooted himself towards the wall, leaning back against it.

"I'm sorry, Severus. I really am." Alice said as she sat next to him.

"Lily likes James? How do you know?" Snape asked quietly. It was nothing other than blind hope that perhaps Alice had misunderstood Lily's intentions.

"She told me. Severus. We girls discuss things like this." Alice replied gently as Snape gave a long sigh.

"She..Lily…never told me." Snape muttered as Alice could feel his anger. No doubt, Snape was angry that Lily had failed to live up to her expectations of a best friend.

"She wasn't sure, herself, to be fair," Alice said, in defense of her friend. "But I'm guessing the reason she didn't tell you was probably because, on some level, she already knew how you would react."

"How I would react?!" Snape said, his voice rising along with his temper. "She should know! How can she keep a secret like that from me? I'm her best friend!"

"No, you're not," Alice muttered as Snape rounded on her, incensed at Alice's accusations. Before he could speak, however, Alice raised her hand.

"Listen, Sev, if you were really her best friend, she would have told you by now. Because her best friend would be fully supportive of her, wouldn't he? He would have encouraged her to ask James. Or better yet, seeing as how close you and James are, you would be doing to her the same thing I'm doing for Mary right now. But you're not, aren't you? Because deep down, being her best friend isn't enough. You want something more and Lily probably knows this."

"Lily knows I like her?" Snape snapped in surprise as Alice gave a snort of derision.

"Well, of course, she knows! You're constantly hounding her. Being there for her all the time. It's not as romantic as the Muggle movies make it out to be, believe me. Just comes off as clingy and creepy if you ask me."

Snape cringed as Alice's words had a certain familiarity to it.

"Look, I'm not insinuating that you're creepy or clingy in any way, Severus but surely you got to realise that you can't be her best friend and be in love with her when she has no feelings of any sort in that manner for you. Trust me, if she did, she would have told us but she doesn't. To her, you're her valuable and trusted best friend. Even though, we both know what you really want."

"Then why doesn't she just reject me if she knows how I feel about her? She does it to, Merlin knows how many boys!" Snape roared as Alice glared at him.

"Don't play stupid, Snape. You're too smart to pull that off. Lily doesn't give a fuck about those other boys. They're just boys but you… you're her best friend. She's obviously afraid to tell you that because she believes it will ruin your friendship. She doesn't want to lose you, Sev."

"She's already lost me, don't you think? Like you said, I'm not her best friend because I am in love with her." Snape said bitterly.

"So what are you going to do, then? Tell Lily to stay away from James?" Alice replied indignantly as her temper started to rise. "Actually, I don't even see a problem for you because it's obvious why James, the perennial player of our house, hasn't asked her out yet. He knows, doesn't he? That you like her?"

Snape remained silent while Alice continued to glare at him.

"Some friend you are. James lets you live with him and you won't even give him your blessing to go after Lily."

"Why should I?!" Snape yelled in frustration. He had felt a pang of guilt. James had done more for Snape than anyone else. He had not only welcomed Snape to his circle of friends but had given him a home and just as importantly, would indeed refuse to make a move on Lily because he knows how Snape felt. But none of that mattered to him at the moment. The pain of Lily's feelings towards James was overwhelming everything else.

"I had to live in a household where my parents neglected me! With a father who took pleasure in abusing me, torturing me! I had to live for more than two years with James and his group bullying me! On top of all that, my mother died before my very eyes! So excuse me, for wanting the one good thing in my life to happen to me. Excuse me for wanting to be selfish for just this one thing! Excuse me for wanting to be with the girl that I love more than anything and that no one, not even wonderful, amazing James, can love her as much I do and have that happily ever after that I deserve after putting up with one hell of a life! My life fucking sucks more than you can imagine, Alice, but instead of finally, finally getting something good, I now have to step aside once more to see a girl get together with the last person on this Earth who I ever wanted her to get together with. Fuck it. FUCK IT ALL!"

Snape roared as he rose to his feet and made a beeline for the door. Just as he was about to open to walk out, he felt a couple of hands grab his shoulder.

"Let go of me, Alice."

"No." Alice replied adamantly before throwing herself around Snape in a tight hug. Snape shifted his feet as he tried to wriggle out of her grasp but Alice held on tighter. After a few minutes of shouting, protesting and pleading, Snape succumbed to the floor in tears as Alice held on to him, her eyes tearing up as well.

"It's not fair, Alice." Snape sobbed as he crumpled to the floor. "It's so not fair."

"I know," Alice replied soothingly as she stroked his hair. Tears were pouring down her face as well. "Believe me, Sev, I know."

There the two laid, both refusing to move, as the sun outside had completely set giving way to the cold and black darkness of the night.

…..

"What should I do?" Snape asked after a long moment of silence between the two. They were walking down the steps of the tower and heading to the Great Hall. Alice sighed as she ran her fingers through her brown hair.

"Sev, can I ask you a question before you do anything?"

"Go ahead."

"Why do you love Lily?"

Snape answered without hesitating. "Because she's the most amazing person I've ever met. She's my best friend and we share so many things in common. Arguably, I'll say it's because she made me a better person, the best version of myself I can be."

The last statement he made rang in his head. Truer words had never been spoken.

"Have you ever been in a relationship before?" Alice asked.

"No."

"Because it's not all cracked up to be, you know," Alice replied as they reached a corridor. "Being best friends with someone and being in a relationship with someone can be very different. People behave differently in a relationship. They get more jealous, more possessive."

"What's your point?" Snape asked.

"My point is that perhaps you're in love with the image of Lily rather than who she really is? I mean, there must be a reason for the breakups that she has had in the past."

"Yes, but those were all her ex-boyfriends faults," Snape said in response as Alice chuckled.

"See, this is precisely why even if Lily did have similar feelings for you, she'll be wary to date you. You put her on a pedestal, Sev. Everything she does is white to you because you rather be a white knight than who you actually are. And it's sad because it comes at a price."

"What price?" Snape asked, feeling intrigued. Alice stopped in her tracks as she took a moment to look at Snape.

"Severus Snape, as long as you are obsessed with Lily Evans, your heart will forever be closed to any other kinds of love. Think about how you been ever since you fell in love with Lily? Sure, it's nice to talk and spend time with her but those moments when she's absent or shares that affection with someone else, you feel it, don't you? The jealousy? The hurt? And now, now that I've told you that Lily has no feelings for you, how does that love for Lily feel?"

Snape answered without hesitation. "Cold. And bitter."

"Precisely!" Alice said as she gave him a bittersweet smile. "I'm not denying your feelings for Lily for Merlin knows that all of it is true and it's special and it's amazing but it's also obsessive, painful and cancerous. Look at us, both of us in our teens trying to profess that we know love when we can't even identify who we truly are or figure what we truly want to be! I don't know much but I do know this. That whatever you feel for Lily, this thing. It's going to consume you, Severus Snape and if you continue to let it consume you then I can guarantee your story will not have a happy ending for you."

"So what do I do then?" Snape sighed as he stared away from Alice. "Let her go?"

"You could," Alice replied as she smiled at him. "Or you could embrace her as a friend and let her go be happy. And in the meantime, make yourself happy first."

"That's not going to happen any time soon," Snape muttered as Alice gave a nervous laugh.

"True. But luckily for you, there's an event coming up that can help take your heart off Lily and even better, a person who could possibly make you happy!"

"What? Mary?!" Snape half-laughed.

"Yes, Mary!" Alice said excitedly as she grabbed his hands. " Look, I'm not suggesting that you use Mary as some kind of rebound… I will hex your bollocks off if you treat my friend like some sort of shag…"

"WHAT?!" Snape spluttered as his face turned red. "I…would…never…"

"I know." Alice grinned as she spoke. "But what I see is that you can give your heart a chance at another girl. Spend some time with Mary. It might not be love at first sight like you had with Lily but love works in mysterious ways and like I said, we're bloody sixteen! There's so much more to life than just pining for some girl who may or may not ever fall for you, Sev. You should live your life, for you, not for Lily!"

"I do live my life for me!" Snape replied indignantly as Alice raised an eyebrow. Snape gave a grunt of frustration as they neared the Great Hall.

"Just think about it, at the very least," Alice said as she patted him on the shoulder. Walking ahead of Snape, Alice stopped in her tracks before turning around to give him a final look.

"You deserve to be happy, Severus." With that Alice walked towards her group of friends as Snape turned to see a familiar redhead witch and black haired wizard waving him over.

…..

As the days passed and the OWLs came and went, time did what time did best. It allowed Snape time to put things into perspective. Thinking back to his conversation with Alice, Snape gave it quite a bit of thought. That despite what Alice had told him about Lily and James, he still had no idea how Lily would react. Lily was his best friend and like Alice said, rejecting him would not be easy. Add together the fact that James would not make a move, it seemed only logical that he should ask Lily as a friend to the Ball first and then proceed to express his feelings at the Ball. The romantic atmosphere and with them sharing a dance, it would only be natural that a girl like Lily would give in and share in his love. After all, he was her best friend. It was only logical.

The Ball was amazing, to say the least. Clearly, much preparation had been made into making it such a spectacle with Hogwarts banners falling from the ceiling which had been changed to feature cherubs singing as they shot arrows at each other. Light snow was falling from it as the Great Hall had been turned into a grand ballroom with glowing white lights and tables adorned with beautiful decorations. Roses littered around the floor as music played from what looked like a gramophone fitted with a Sonorous Charm. It was nearing the end of the night as Snape listened to songs played by the Muggle Elvis Presley. It brought a tear to his eye as he recalled how his mother used to sing him when he was young, saying it was one of the reasons she felt so attracted to the Muggle world.

"Sev, want to dance?" Snape had been playing with a white rose on the ground as he heard his name being called. Turning around, he trembled at the sight of what surely must be the most beautiful girl in the world. There she stood in a white-lily gown and her hair smoothed straight as her long crimson hair fell perfectly in place as she gave Snape a sweet, simple smile and stared at him with gorgeous, emerald eyes. Snape held his breath as he was unable to break his gaze, taking in the beauty before him as time stood still.

"I don't know how, Lily," Snape said as he gulped awkwardly. Lily's smile only widened as she took his hands and led him to the dance floor.

"I'll show you. Just follow my lead." Lily whispered as she took his right hand and placed it on her left hip. She then took his left hand in hers as she brought it up to his shoulder level. Being in such close proximity with her, Snape got a whiff of her rose-scented perfume which made him slightly delirious.

"See, you're doing it." Lily giggled as Snape gave her an uneasy grin. As he stared at her face, awkwardness began to build inside of him. They were swaying silently to the slow music. Snape cursed internally over and over again as he tried to think of the right words to say.

"I like your hair," Lily said abruptly, cutting his train of thought.

"My hair?" Snape said out loud as Lily nodded her head towards his fringe. Snape smiled at the thought as he recalled the Marauders getting ready for the Ball and Sirius insisting on doing his hair. It had taken almost an hour but Sirius, using Sleekeazy's Hair Potion and a few of his own products, had managed to fashion a slick and nicely-combed look that even Sirius, the most conceited out of the four, was proud of. It had turned quite a few heads, as James had pointed out when the five reached the Ball.

"Sirius did this. Not sure if I should keep it." Snape replied awkwardly as he started to blush at Lily's comment.

"You should. It looks nice." Lily said as she suddenly took a step closer to him, releasing his grip and putting her hands around his neck. Snape froze for the moment before gingerly placing both his hands on her waist.

"Lily Evans, I have something to tell you," Snape said Lily perked up as the mention of her full name, something Snape never used unless he was saying something serious. Snape looked into her piercing green eyes as it stared at him expectedly. Almost on cue, a well-known song from Elvis started to play.

 **Wise men say,**

"Lily, you and I have been best friends for so long. To be honest, I never expected to make friends in Hogwarts when I was growing up. All I could think of was just getting away."

Lily nodded as she patiently listened.

 **Only fools rush in,**

"All my life, I've had all this pureblood thoughts and ideas, because of how much I hated my father. I wanted power because I was powerless. I didn't anyone to hurt me and all I could think of was how much I wanted to be powerful, like Salazar, and show the world how important magic was."

 **But I can't help falling in love with you**

"Then I met you. And everything changed. I joined Gryffindor despite my disdain for it. I became friends with my bully and now we're sort of brothers. Now, I have a family and I have friends and honestly, for a moment, I didn't think that was actually anything more than I wanted. My life has changed so much, what could I possibly want more?"

 **Shall I stay?**

"Sev, I think I need to…," Lily whispered as she started to speak. But Snape raised his hand, not wanting to be interrupted.

 **Would it be a sin?**

Snape stared at Lily for what felt like an eternity. He had decided on this long before the Ball. Now was the time, now or never.

 **If I can't help falling in love with you?**

"What I want is…"Snape began to speak as he looked away from Lily towards James who was dancing manically with Mary McDonald.

 **Like a river flows**

 **Surely to the sea**

Snape recalled the few days before the Ball. How he had looked at Lily's face as she turned down yet another boy while James appeared clueless as he laughed at Sirius joke while they were seated in the common room. It was at that moment that Snape decided just how important Lily was to him.

" _You should ask her out," Snape said as he pulled James to a corner._

" _Who?" James asked in confusion._

" _Lily. I know you like her. Don't deny it." Snape answered quickly, refusing to let his emotions take over._

" _Lily?! Please. I'm not interested in Lily." James replied awkwardly though his face was unmistakeably turning red. Using all of his willpower, Snape forced a smile on his face as he patted James's shoulder._

" _I'm not interested in her anymore. You should go for her. Be happy, James. Merlin knows you deserve it after everything you've done for me. Trust me, I'm okay with it." Snape said with as much sincerity as he could muster. James studied him for a minute before sighing._

" _You sure about this?"_

 **Darling, so it goes**

 **Some things are meant to be**

Turning around to see his best friend trying to laugh at one of Alice's jokes with a mask of disappointment clear on her face, Snape nodded his head.

"As sure as I'll ever be."

…..

 **So, take my hand,**

Snape gazed upon Lily as he entered the Ball with Mary on his arm. He couldn't take his eyes off her as she laughed happily while James pecked her cheek.

 **Take my whole life, too**

Snape turned to Mary who was happily discussing something about a Hogsmeade visit. To her right, Alice was giving Snape a knowing look as she beamed at him while linking her arm with some Hufflepuff named Frank Longbottom.

"Snape?" Lily said as she pulled him away from his thoughts.

 **For I can't help falling in love with you**

Realizing she was still waiting on an answer while they were dancing, Snape gave her a warm smile before replying. He felt his heart rising, knowing full well that it would take a lot of time and no doubt a lot of painful moments

"What I want is to be happy. Experience love. Maybe one day, I'll get to be as happy as you and James. I'm really happy for you, by the way." Snape said as he pulled her into a tight hug, only to feel it getting tighter as Lily crushed her arms around his.

 **Like a river flows**

 **Surely to the sea**

 **Darling, so it goes**

 **Some things are meant to be**

"Thank you," Lily whispered as she looked up at him. "Severus, do you have any idea how much I love you?"

"Probably about half as much as I love you," Snape replied as he beamed at her before nodding his head towards James. "Why don't you go to him and call Mary here while you're at it?"

Lily gave him a warm smile as she took off towards James. As Mary walked slowly towards him, Snape watched as James took Lily into his arms while giving her a long and hard kiss. It still hurt to watch and Snape did feel the pain pierce through his heart and yet, something had changed. For the first time in a long while, Snape no longer saw it as having to share his best friend. He could see how happy Lily was as James turned to give him a wink

"Want to dance? Lily taught me how." Snape said as he took Mary's eager hands into his.

 **Take my hand,**

 **Take my whole life, too**

As the party came to a close and the song came to an end, Snape snuck a final glance towards the redhead witch he had fallen for all those years ago. Despite what Alice may have inferred about Lily knowing the truth, Snape knew that deep down, it was a truth he had never outrightly admitted to and would most likely die with him. As Mary buried her head into his chest, Snape sighed internally as he tried to hide the tears that were now caught in his eyes as the song echoed what Snape was thinking so clearly as he looked at Lily being cradled in James's arms.

 **For I can't help falling in love with you**

"Sev, you okay?" Mary asked as she pulled herself away from his chest to look at him. Instantly, Snape blinked furiously as he tried to get rid of his tears while giving a bittersweet smile towards Mary.

"Never better," Snape replied as the two continued to dance.

 **For I can't help falling in love with you**

…

Albus Dumbledore smiled as he watched as students began to head to the dormitories after the festivities have ended. It was nice to see that even in dark times, there was still moments for people to revel in joy and laughter. These moments had been coming fewer and further in between as Voldemort's army were gaining traction. Walking back to his office, Albus took a moment to compose himself before entering. At his table stood two lanky red-haired men with light freckled skin and a tall, burly man with grey hair and dark eyes as Dumbledore examined the numerous scars that he had all over his skin.

"Albus." The grey-haired man spoke as he gave Dumbledore a hug.

"Alastor Moody." Dumbledore chuckled as he embraced his dear friend. "Fabian, Gideon!" Dumbledore said as the two men grinned at him. "Always a pleasure to see you both."

"Professor," Fabian spoke as Gideon nodded. "Sorry to bring bad news on such a lovely night but I'm afraid we have no choice."

"It seems You-know-who has gotten himself some new members for his inner circle," Gideon replied darkly as he frowned. "Lucius Malfoy has been promoted to Death Eater."

"No doubt influence brought on by Bellatrix!" Moody spat as he rubbed both his eyes. "Quite a feisty one, that girl. Almost took my eye out. And her damn husband almost took my leg."

"They're growing in number," Fabian exclaimed as he looked worriedly at Dumbledore. "Malfoy is quite a catch for them. Not only are the Malfoys exceedingly wealthy but Lucius has quite an influence on others, particularly those younger than him."

"Like in the Slytherin house," Gideon spoke as he shuddered at the thought. "Surely you've taken into account our consideration that…"

"Yes, I have." Dumbledore interrupted, knowing full well what Gideon wanted him to do. Several of his members have tried to persuade Dumbledore to take harsher action against the Slytherins, many of whom took to becoming Dark Wizards. Yet the methods Fabian and Gideon were suggesting were, in his opinion, too drastic. Dumbledore was a firm believer in allowing a person to find his path and make the right choice rather than being forced into one.

"But I'm afraid, Fabian, Gideon, that I cannot do what you all are expecting me to do."

Before the brothers could protest, Moody made a loud grunt. That sound signified that Dumbledore has made up his mind and that no one, not even Moody himself, could change it. Fabian glared at Moody before closing his mouth while Gideon just shook his head.

"How is Molly doing?" Dumbledore asked, hoping to steer the conversation into another direction.

"She's fine. Just waiting for the baby Percy to pop out." Fabian said as Gideon chuckled. "Fab and I wanted Molly to name him after one of us but she said that after picking the last two names, it was time for Arthur to have a turn. Maybe if she has twins one day."

"Twins?! She's already going to have her hands full with three boys!" Fabian sighed as he shook his head. "Bill is now six, can you believe it? And Charlie is four!"

"She just wants a girl, Fabian," Gideon said as he smiled at his brother. "Though if you ask me, I think she's trying to distract herself by shagging Arthur over and over again. Really should teach her some contraceptive charms."

Albus chuckled as Moody just shook his head in annoyance. Turning to Dumbledore, Moody glared at the two brothers to be quiet before speaking.

"Albus, our numbers are dwindling. Perhaps it's time we recruit some new blood. See if anyone of your students want to help us out?"

Dumbledore thought for a moment. It had been quite a while since he recruited some new members into the group. Perhaps having new members who were both keen to help out could not only add to their numbers but could also help in influencing more students to take a stand against Riddle.

"That's not a bad idea," Dumbledore said, as a few students he saw tonight came to his mind.

"Well, whatever you do, there is something more pressing," Gideon spoke as he exchanged a look with Fabian.

"What's that?" Moody asked irritably.

"We need a new name," Fabian spoke as he smiled at Gideon. "We still haven't come up with one for our secret society."

Albus smiled as Moody, Fabian, and Gideon got into an argument about what name to call the group. As he watched the three battle it out, he noticed Fawkes sleeping in the corner as the bird ruffled its gold and red feathers.

"Well…" Dumbledore spoke as the other three stopped arguing to look at him beaming at all three. "I was always partial towards phoenixes."

…..

 **End of part 2. There are more twists coming up. Like I said, we're not even to the good part yet. That comes in the next part. See you soon!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Wow, just wow! At the time of posting this next chapter, my review count stands at 22 just after two chapters! You guys have been nothing short of AMAZING. I never expected such a response after just two chapters and yet, all you readers and reviewers have just exceeded all my expectations. Trust me, it was a pleasant surprise and I stress the surprise part as the only thing more surprising to me was discovering that Nagini WAS A PERSON!**

 **So I just want to say THANK YOU! to everyone who reviewed with a very special THANK YOU! to two of my reviewers who wrote incredible, massive reviews! I cannot begin to express just how much I loved reading every single word! Please, don't worry about the length. In fact, the longer, the better! So thank you to both TJ Jordan and TrueHomiePip! I appreciate every single word the both of you have written. I would like to share some of my thoughts but I feel maybe it's best to do so at the end of my story. After all, we're not even at the good part yet haha.**

 **Which brings me to this important note. After seeing the response that you guys have given, I've decided to expand the story by a few more chapters. Maybe ten? The truth is, the reason this was a four-shot originally is because I've already have the end in mine but I don't mind expanding and it's not just for you lovely people. I didn't think I would be this excited to write about Snape but I guess, characters have a way of developing themselves around the author. So, I'm taking down the four-shot. Let's just see where this ends.**

 **On that note, if there is one thought I would like to share is that, please don't be too hard on Lily. Lily does suspect that Snape does like her but she has absolutely no feelings towards him because there isn't any attraction, not like with James. I won't say if this story turns out to be a Sev/Lily or a Sev/Mary. You'll just have to read to find out. With that, I thank you all so, so much for the reviews and the reads! I really appreciate each and every one of you. Thank you!**

 **Disclaimer: I own not a single property of HP as all of it belongs to Robert Galbraith.**

 **The Importance of Being Snape**

" _You got loads of magic. I saw that. All the time I was watching you…" – Severus Snape, The Prince's Tale_

The next few days after the Ball were the worst in living memory for Snape. Though the pain was far from physical as it had been when Snape lived with his father, the emotional toll got so bad at times that Snape often wished he could be back at Spinner's End. Each time he would see Lily display any time of affection towards James or vice versa, Snape felt a piercing pain being driven straight through his heart. As his heart was in no condition to help him move on, Snape turned to his brain which allowed him to reason that if he did not see Lily or James together, it would lessen the pain that he felt. Thus, Snape began avoiding the pair as much as possible but this proved to be a much more difficult task than he anticipated. Lily would constantly try to speak to him and James, who had regarded Severus to be a brother, would also be around him just as much. Without examinations to distract him, Severus turned to improving his magic by spending time at the library and had thrown himself into other tasks such as when the Marauders decided to create a map of Hogwarts. But soon, the distractions and avoidance took an emotional toll on him that Snape started to see the worst of his character rising to the surface especially around Lily and James. The latter was, ironically, the more understanding of the two, perhaps due to James knowing how Snape had felt and took Snape's newfound brash and cynical attitude with a pinch of salt. Lily, however, was a different story.

It all culminated a few days before they were to leave on the Hogwarts Express. Lily had wanted to take a final trip to Hogsmeade and had insisted that Snape tagged along for old times' sake and because he hadn't been around her as much. Snape, however, not wishing to see James and Lily kiss in front of him had refused and soon what started as a simple disagreement led to a full-blown argument between the pair. Snape had gone to bed, seething in rage, wondering how Lily could not understand why he didn't want to go. Only in the morning, did his anger dissipate and Snape realised he could not blame Lily for anything. After all, he had never admitted his love for her. Feeling guilty, Snape went down to the common room.

As he was in the midst of writing Lily a letter, Snape felt a small hand tap him on his shoulder. Turning around, Snape smiled widely at the witch with brown curls in her hair looking quizzically at him. Interestingly, despite all that Snape lost that night at the Ball, a silver lining had appeared in the form of Alice Macmillan. It was still quite surprising to believe that in such a short time, he had bonded with Alice far more than most people he had met in his life. Alice and James both shared a similar trait about their outspokenness and he noted that of all the girls he had met, Alice was definitely the most outgoing and effervescent girl he had ever met.

 _Why haven't I notice this before?_ Snape thought as Alice approached him.

 _Because you were too strung up on Lily_ his mind answered almost immediately.

"What are you doing?" Alice asked as she bit down on an apple in her hand.

"Writing a letter to Lily. I wanted to apologise for last night but she's already taken off with James and the others to Hogsmeade. So I'm going to write her this letter and I will need you to help me put it on her bed." Snape said as Alice frowned at him. Alice placed her head next to Snape as she read the letter over his shoulder.

"Dear Lily, I'm sorry for being an arse. The thing is…blah blah blah…been really down about the stuff that's been going on in my life…blah blah blah…hope you can forgive me. You're a really amazing friend, who's kind and sweet and deserves…urgh!" Alice cringed as she pretended to gag.

"What?!" Snape asked, annoyed by Alice's actions.

"Nothing," Alice replied as she looked at what Snape in his hand. "What's this?"

Snape raised his hand to reveal a small bouquet of lilies in his hand. "I got them from the grounds. Going to put it next to the letter."

"Okay, that's it!" Alice roared as she raised her wand. Uttering a spell, Snape watched in horror as the letter and the flowers disappeared up in smoke.

"ALICE!" Snape cried out loud. "What did you do?!"

"Is Lily Evans your girlfriend?" Alice demanded, ignoring Snape's reaction.

"What?"

"I asked you if Lily Evans is your girlfriend?!"

"No, she's not! But she's my best frie…" Snape had started to retort before Alice levelled him with a Silencing Charm.

"Then why in Merlin's name, are you wasting your time with all this nonsense?! Do you honestly think she cares that you're sweet?! She's with James now, Severus and I'm willing to bet that even he wouldn't do something like this!"

"Mmmphhhh!" Snape retorted as he tried to pull out his wand to do the counter-curse.

"It doesn't matter to Lily whether you're as sweet as chocolate or whether you're as cold as ice! It doesn't matter because she doesn't have feelings for you! Doing something like this is cringy and pathetic! Not to mention, she doesn't deserve this one bit!" Alice snapped as she lifted the charm off Snape.

"What?" Snape asked, bewildered by Alice's response.

Alice rolled her eyes at him. "Look, I was there when you guys were arguing. Kind of hard to miss it when you decide to have a shouting match with her in the common room. But, to be honest, I don't think you did much wrong. You obviously didn't want to go to Hogsmeade and she kept insisting! Who cares about your reasons? As a friend, she should have respected that."

"But I shouldn't have shouted at her." Snape countered.

"Probably not but you couldn't help it, could you? You were angry and she was angry too. Friends fight, they make mistakes, it's normal." Alice sighed as she shook her head at him. "But when you do something like writing her a letter and giving her flowers, that's not typical of how a friendship works! And what's worse, you could be ruining her other relationships."

"How?!"

"Think about it. She had you by her side for most of her life. When a guy like you does this kind of thing, it affects her as well. Lily will start comparing guys to you, if she hasn't done it already. You could be subconsciously creating expectations of how boys should act in her head. Trust me, sooner or later; she might even be comparing you to James. And she'll wonder why James doesn't treat her the way you do. That might even lead to them breaking up." Alice spoke.

 _Good_ Snape thought in his head before feeling slightly ashamed at the thought.

"Or is that the plan?" Alice said out loud, echoing his thoughts. "Can't be, right? Because you're Lily's best friend and you want her to be happy."

"Arghh!" Snape yelled in frustration. It was annoying how Alice kept making sense in his head. He pounded his fist on the desk in anger.

"What should I do then? You're the expert on love, Alice. Tell me what to do!" Snape pleaded as Alice's expression began to soften. Before she could answer, however, the pair was interrupted by Mary.

"Hey guys, sorry to bother you but do either of you know where McGonagall is?" Mary asked as her face reddened slightly at the sight of Snape.

"She's at the greenhouses with Professor Sprout," Alice replied.

"Why do you need to see Professor McGonagall?" Snape asked as Mary appeared surprised to see him talking to her. Snape felt another rush of guilt flowing through him. Ever since the Ball, Mary had tried talking to him but Snape had hardly paid her much attention, seeing that most of it was occupied by a certain redheaded witch.

"I'm going to America for the holidays. My parents will be heading there tomorrow and I'm wondering if I could take a Portkey there rather than taking the Express back to London and fly there on an airplane."

"I see," Snape said as Mary gave him a small smile before meekly excusing herself. Before she could go, however, Alice grabbed her hand.

"Mary, perhaps you could help us out with something here," Alice asked as Snape scowled at her. "Severus here is thinking of writing a letter and giving Lily flowers to apologise for last night. Do you think he should?"

"Why are you apologising?" Mary asked in confusion. "You didn't do much wrong."

"But I shouted at her," Snape replied as Mary exchanged a look with Alice before sighing. "Well, she doesn't deserve it, especially since she's in the wrong as well. Maybe it was a bit far to shout at her but she did shout at you as well. If you are going to apologise to her, then maybe just tell her in person. The flowers and letters are a bit much."

Mary sighed as Alice gave Snape a triumphant look. Before leaving through the portrait, Mary turned back towards the pair.

"For what is worth, Sev, I think what you're doing is sweet. But honestly, and I'm saying this as Lily's friend, she doesn't deserve that."

"But do you know who does deserve that?" Alice whispered in Snape's ear as Mary disappeared from their sight. "Mary does. Why don't you ask her out on a date?"

"A date? But I don't like Mary in that way." Snape said.

"Fine, an outing then. The four of us could go out, you, me, Mary and Frank. We'll go to Hogsmeade and after like an hour or so, I'll make up some excuse to bail with Frank while you spend the rest of the day with Mary. That way, it's not a date so Mary can't have too high expectations." Alice reasoned as she stared at him.

"I don't know…" Snape trailed off as Alice gave a grunt of frustration.

"Why not? You have to move on, eventually."

"Who says I want to move on?" Snape replied as Alice shook her head.

"You have to, Sev. You've already done the first hard bit which was to let her go. Now comes the harder part, moving on."

As Alice spoke, a fierce rush of emotions spread throughout Snape. He had not let Lily go nor would he have any intention to do so. Lily was everything to him. _I will always be in love with Lily Evans_ Snape thought fiercely as he prided himself on that one thought.

"It's hopeless, Alice. I'm in love with Lily and I don't see that changing. Not ever." Snape answered as he ran his fingers through his slick, black hair.

"I see," Alice replied sarcastically as she rolled her eyes at him. "So that's the plan. You're going to continue being her white knight as you delude yourself thinking that you're carrying the torch for her so that one day, Lily might just open her eyes and fall in love with you. In the meantime, she's out there in Hogsmeade with James Potter, probably snogging the bollocks off of him while you sit here with deluded romantic notions and pathetic actions that in no way will change how she feels towards you. Instead, you pride yourself on this idea that this unrequited love, this deluded fantasy that you have cooked up in your head is what love is all about. That's truly romantic, Sev. Straight out of a romance novel. People will be speaking about your love for Lily for years to come."

"Shut up." Snape snapped as he scowled at Alice, only for her to scowl back at him.

"Are you mad at me? Because frankly speaking, your pity party is over. I admit that I did feel sorry for you that night at the Astronomy tower but now? Now you have a girl that actually likes you, something most guys in your position don't have the luxury of having and here you are, still pining for Lily without any attempt to move on."

"You can't just ask me to dismiss my love for her!" Snape retorted.

"No one is asking you to forget about Lily, Sev! Merlin forbid, I know that's impossible. You say you're in love with her. Fine. Then be in love with her but for now make some attempt to move on. You gave her up at the Ball, fantastic! But now, now go live your life. Let Lily go!" Alice replied passionately as she looked at him.

Snape sat there in silence as Alice watched him. No matter how much Alice tried, Snape couldn't help but feel his love for Lily encompassing him all around. It was too overwhelming.

 _But you have to move on_ the voice inside Snape's head spoke as Alice put her arm around his.

"Severus, I've been in your position before, you know. A while back, I too pined for a guy who in the end had no such feelings for me. I was devastated, to say the least and it took me a while to find my feet again. I was just as bad as you. I told myself that I wasn't going to move on, that it was the guy or no one else. I told myself that it wasn't my choice to move on and I did the one thing that you should never do."

"What did you do?" Snape asked as he turned to face her.

"I allowed love to control me. And it did but instead of that beautiful thing that makes you happy inside, you know the kind that you read about in romance novels, I was controlled by the type of love that made me obsessed, an unhealthy virus of fantasy and self-delusions that drove me nearly insane and made me unhappy for days to come. I allowed that love to close my heart, to pretend that it didn't exist and that all of it was beyond my control. Except that it's not. If love is such a beautiful thing, why does it drive us to change ourselves for the worse? It's not your love for Lily that's causing you to write apology letters to her or buy her flowers or sit here in misery while she's out there enjoying her life. It's your obsession with her and this needs to stop."

"Okay," Snape said after a long period of silence between the pair. "Say, I do want to move on. What does that have to do with going on this outing with Mary?"

Alice beamed at him as she spoke.

"Well, you've only been exposed to one girl for most of your life so maybe; just maybe, some of what you're feeling towards Lily isn't as perfect as you make it out to be. You need to spend time with other people, preferably girls unless of course, you want to play both sides?"

"I'm not gay," Snape said indignantly.

"You sure?" Alice asked as she raised her hands in the air. "I mean, we are at the age where we're trying to figure ourselves out. Maybe you might like boys in the future? Who knows? I'm certainly not judging."

"Can we just like…move along with it?" Snape stammered as Alice gave him a giggle.

"Okay, okay! Tomorrow, the four of us will go to Hogsmeade and it is vital that you spend some quality alone time with Mary. Try to have a bit of fun with her. Talk to her. Maybe I'm biased seeing that Mary is my friend but she's really an amazing person once you get to know her. And who knows? It might lead to something one day. Or maybe it won't. Either way, it's still a step in the right direction."

"You sure about this?" Snape asked nervously.

"Trust me. One day, you might meet a girl who's willing to do this to you." Alice replied as she gently caressed Snape's cheek. Feeling her touch, Snape felt a tingling sensation rush through his body. Nobody, not even Lily, had ever touched him that way.

"Imagine having someone who touches you like that and more. Holding you in her arms. Hugging you every time she sees you. Kissing you over and over again and wanting to do more. And think about what you can do for her! Doing all these sweet, romantic things for her in which she will appreciate much more than Lily does. Imagine having a girl who cares about you for you are and nothing else. You want to know what's better than falling in love with someone? Being loved by someone. Trust me, Sev, one day, when you finally get over Lily, you're going to feel all this."

"It does sound nice," Sev said as he gave Alice a smile. "Okay, I'm convinced. Let's go to Hogsmeade tomorrow."

Alice clapped her hands in excitement as Snape laughed at the sight of her brown curls falling across her face.

"You got to do one thing for me, though," Alice said as Snape nodded his head.

"Okay."

"Don't apologise to Lily. In fact, avoid her until after our outing with Mary."

"Why?" Snape asked as Alice glared at him.

"Because I said so. Now, come on!" Alice said as she grabbed his hand. "It's almost time for lunch and I'm famished."

"So I really can't apologise to Lily?" Snape said as Alice dragged him along.

"Nope"

"What if I didn't write her a letter and just tell her to her face?"

"Sev!"

"What if I just talk to her when she gets back?"

"No!"

"Can I leave her a letter saying that I will talk to her once I get back?"

"Severus Snape! So help me, if I catch you breaking our deal, I will hex you so bad that kissing a Blast-Ended Skrewt on both sides will seem like a better alternative!"

"Fine!" Snape grinned as he laughed at Alice scowling at him. For the first time in days, his heart felt just a little lighter.

…

It was certainly unusual for Snape to be going to Hogsmeade without Lily, James or any of the Marauders but he was willing to admit that it was a nice experience. With Alice constantly bickering with Frank about the war and other topics as well as Mary trying her best to bring him into their conversations, it was a welcome change of pace for Snape. He soon found himself roaring in laughter at the jokes shared as well as taking part in debates to interesting topics from Dumbledore's role in the war to the subjects that they would take in the upcoming sixth year. Once they left the Three Broomsticks, Alice made an excuse to having to meet her family members near Zonko's and as she dragged Frank along, Alice gave both Snape and Mary a wink, causing the latter to blush furiously as she and Snape took the walk back to Hogwarts.

As he and Mary were talking, Snape took a moment to look at Mary. Mary was slightly shorter than Lily and he noticed how she would stroke her dirty-blonde hair every time she asked him a question. With her skinny figure and blue eyes, Mary wasn't as unattractive as some had made her to be. In fact, whenever she smiled, Snape noticed a faint dimple on the sides of her cheeks which he found to be quite cute. Just as he noticed Alice, Snape wondered once again why he never noticed how pretty Mary was.

 _Because of Lily,_ his brain spoke as Snape once again pushed Lily out of his thoughts. Sneaking a glance below Mary's neck, Snape could not help but blush at the rising bosom which in no doubt larger than Lily's or Alice's. As blood rushed towards a certain body part Snape hoped was not rising, he could not help but feel a little drawn towards Mary.

 _Feeling randy, Sev?_ Alice's voice spoke in his head.

 _No!_ Snape thought hard.

 _I told you, didn't I? Lust, that's all there is to it._

 _But I love Lily!_

 _So then why are you checking Mary out?_

 _Because I'm a teenage boy and that's what boys do!_

 _And yet you claim to love Lily? I thought your love for Lily was so strong. If only I knew that a couple of breasts would have made you push her out of your head, I would have whipped mine out!_

 _SHUT UP!_

"Severus?"

Snape snapped himself back to reality to see a puzzled Mary looking at him.

"Yes?" Snape asked.

"Are you okay?" Mary asked.

"I'm fine," Snape replied sheepishly. "Sorry, my head was somewhere else."

"Oh, that's okay. I was saying you can make your way back to the castle if you like. I'm going to stay here for a while." Mary said as she pointed towards the back of Hagrid's Hut where the vegetable farm grew. Behind the farm, however, was a much more interesting sight. There, seated by a tree, were four large black winged horses lying on the ground although horses were the best term to describe them. The creatures had skeletal bodies with reptilian faces and their massive wings were in the form of a bat. Snape had never seen creatures like these before.

"What are those?" Snape said as he pointed at the horses.

"What are you talking about?" Mary asked gingerly as she looked to where he was staring.

"Those things. Those horses. What are those?" Snape asked once again as Mary's eyes began to widen.

"You can see them?" Mary said as Snape nodded. She gave him a strange expression as if she didn't believe him, before that expression turned sympathetic.

"I can see them too. They are called Thestrals. They're what Hagrid uses to pull the carriages from Hogsmeade station to Hogwarts.

"But…but…those carriages were always pulled by magic. You mean all this time, these creatures were the ones pulling them?" Snape said incredulously as he took a step closer towards them. "Then how come I haven't seen one before?"

Mary sighed as she put her soft hand on his shoulder. "It's because you can only see Thestrals once you've witnessed a death."

…..

"It was my grandmother."

Snape turned his head to look at Mary who was fiddling with her wand. They had tried to approach the creatures but stirring from the Thestrals who did not wish to be disturbed force the pair to back off. Instead, Snape and Mary decided to sit a few feet away from the nearest Thestral as they admired the fascinating, dark creatures.

"It happened sometime at the end of my third year," Mary spoke as Snape listened. "She was a witch too, you know but she was forced to live in the Muggle world during World War Two as her family needed her. When I got my powers, both my parents were a little scared for me but my grandmother, she helped eased their fears and more importantly, she helped me through it all. I loved her so much Severus." Mary said as tears started to fall from her face.

"I'm sorry," Snape said sympathetically as he patted her shoulder.

"It wasn't even the worst part that she died." Mary sighed after she composed herself. "You see, when I got the letter to Hogwarts, I was so excited to go. Once I got here, I threw myself into the wizarding world and despite whatever bad things that happened to me here, I was reluctant to go back. I only went back when the term ended and I couldn't wait to come back here again. I hardly spend any time with her after that. I was so focused on my life here that I didn't even know she had fallen ill. My grandmother didn't even tell me, saying that I shouldn't have to be bothered by her and that she rather me be clueless and happy than be burdened by her impending death. I only got a few moments with her as I watched her die on her deathbed. I didn't even get to tell her how sorry I was for neglecting her and how much I love her."

Snape watched as Mary started to tear once more. In that moment, Snape felt the rush of sympathy towards the witch he had once saved. He too knew what it was like to lose a loved one, someone who sacrificed themselves so that those they cared about would be alright. Snape waited until Mary had stopped crying to tell his story about the death of his mother and his situation at home before moving to the Potters. He watched as Mary gasped multiple times at the hardship he had to endure.

"Oh, Severus!" Mary said as she unexpectedly pulled him into a hug. As they sat there with Mary's arms around him, Snape could not help but notice that despite being hugged by both Lily and Alice before, it was Mary's hug that reminded him most of his mother as he allowed himself to be comforted by the tender embrace of the blonde witch.

"We're really screwed up, huh." Snape joked lightly, hoping to lighten the mood. Mary took the bait as she gave a giggle herself.

"Yeah, well at least we have our futures to look forward to. It's not like we have any wars or Dark Lords to be worried about."

Snape laughed as Mary beamed at him.

"So what do you want to be?" Mary asked him after a short period of silence.

"You mean what career path do I want to take? Never really given it much thought." Snape said bemusedly as he scratched his head.

"Really?" Mary said as she raised an eyebrow at him. "You do realise that once we get our OWL results, we need to seriously figure this out before deciding what subjects to take. That's the one problem with the wizarding world, I feel. Muggle education goes all the way up to the late twenties before they start to think about marriage and the future. Here, we have to figure it all out before we even turn eighteen."

"Not to mention that eighteen's the popular age where wizards and witches get hitched," Snape replied as he cringed at the thought.

"It's ridiculous." Mary agreed.

"Anyways, to your question, I did think of becoming an Auror. What about you?" Snape asked.

"Healer. I want to help people who are sick. You know, because of my…" Mary trailed off as Snape nodded. "But why not an Auror? I think you'll make an excellent one!"

"Well, mostly it's because of James and Sirius. Both of them want to be Aurors and well, I wouldn't mind it, to tell you the truth. We all have to stand up to You-know-who sooner or later. Might as well be paid for it." Snape chuckled as Mary smiled at him.

"Well, I think you'll make a better Auror than those two," Mary said as Snape felt himself blushing at her compliment. Rarely had anyone think he was better at something than James or Sirius.

"That's nice but it's not true. I mean, let's face it. James and Sirius would make excellent Aurors." Snape said.

"I don't disagree that they'll be good. I just think that you'll be better." Mary replied.

"Why?" Snape asked curiously. Despite being friends with the Marauders, Snape often had the tendency to compare himself with them, especially James. James was the better flier, better leader and even though Snape knew more hexes than James, he always thought that due to the latter's agility as well as skills, that James was the better duelist.

"Because James and Sirius are too hot-headed in battle," Mary explained as she looked at him. "You've seen the way they play Quidditch. James and Sirius are too confident of their abilities than they don't think. That's the problem when you think you have no weaknesses or that those weaknesses don't matter. They rather fight with what they know than to take time to assess the situation, to learn. You're not only smart, Sev, but you know what your weaknesses are and instead of jumping in, you think and adapt. Furthermore, you're much more courageous than those two."

"Come on! James and Sirius are incredibly brave." Snape replied a little defensively. He didn't have much of a problem with Mary talking about his friends in that context as he did with his belief in her words.

"Remember when you saved me?" Mary said as Snape nodded. "You were an outcast just like me and those boys could have seriously hurt you. But you did even though you were scared. James and Sirius wouldn't have been as intimidated as you were but it doesn't mean that you would have been any less brave. In fact, courage is overcoming fear not the absence of it and that makes you braver than those two. For me, at least. In fact, that's one of those reasons why I lik…"

Mary gasped as she put her hands to her mouth while blushing furiously. Snape stared her in puzzlement as Mary looked away while fidgeting uncomfortably on the grass.

 _Wow, she actually said that you're better than James and Sirius!_ Alice voice spoke once again in his head.

 _Yeah, can't believe it myself._

 _What's not to believe? You're having a good time. She's clearly into you, judging from that slip-up and she's not that bad looking judging from the fact that the wand in your pants has currently grown about an inch_

 _What wand?!_ Snape thought confusedly before looking down and feeling embarrassed. _Shut up!_

 _Do you really want to pine the rest of your life for Lily when there are other girls like Mary here?! Come on, Mary just showed you a great deal of appreciation for you. When has Lily ever done that?_

"Thinking about Lily?"

The random remark by Mary as to what he was thinking nearly caused Snape to yelp in surprise. Instead, Mary gave him an amused grin as she smiled at him.

"What..I…no…Lily who?" Snape spluttered as Mary giggled.

"It's okay, Severus." Mary giggled.

"I was just thinking about something Alice said," Snape replied hastily.

"What about?"

Snape let out an internal groan. "Err…Alice said that Lily doesn't appreciate me as much as she should."

"She's not wrong," Mary muttered as Snape stared blankly at her.

"What do you mean?"

Mary sighed. "I love Lily, Sev, and she's my good friend. But she doesn't appreciate you as much as she thinks she does. It's not her fault, you know. A man never appreciates his eyesight until he turns blind. We can only fully appreciate things once they're lost to us and with you always being by her side, both figuratively and literally, she won't know how important you really are to her until you're no longer there. Just like how I didn't appreciate my grandmother enough."

 _She has a point_ Alice's voice spoke once again.

"She's just so lucky, you know," Mary spoke as Snape turned to look at her. Mary's blonde hair was now fluttering in the wind as she tried to keep her strands in place.

"Lily. I mean, she's dating James and she has you as her best friend, always watching out for her. I could never compete with Lily. She's beautiful and smart, just like Alice and Dorcas. Let's face it, with them being my friends, what chance do I have?" Mary spoke quietly but just enough for Snape to catch it. Once again, Snape couldn't help but feel some sympathy towards Mary. After all, who better than Snape to know what it feels like to live in the shadows of superior friends?

"Well, I think you're pretty. And you're nice too."

"Thanks Snape," Mary replied as Snape detected a familiar tone of disbelief in her voice. Turning to face Mary, Snape placed his left hand on her shoulder.

"Mary, listen to me," Snape said as he stared into her piercing blue eyes. "Don't you ever bring yourself down like that. I admit that before I met you today, I was always taken by girls like Lily but that's because I am a fool to not realise that there's more to a person besides their image. You're an amazing person, Mary McDonald. You're sweet and gentle. You can certainly carry a conversation. You're unafraid to express how you feel. Most important of all, you're really kind. You want to help people so you work hard to be a Healer."

"You're just saying that," Mary said though she was blushing hard under his gaze.

"No, I'm not. Trust me." Snape said firmly as he smiled at her. "Take it from a guy who understands better than anyone what it feels like to live in the shadows of other people. You're much better than you give yourself credit for. Besides, you're beautiful too, you know?"

Mary blushed furiously at Snape's comment. Snape felt his smile widening. It felt different, praising another girl who wasn't Lily. With Lily, Snape always waited for her reaction, hoping that his words would be taken in the right way rather than being misunderstood. Even though it felt good to see Lily happy after he comforted her, Snape had to admit the task did feel tedious and there were a few times when praising her had led to bad misunderstandings. But with Mary, it felt comfortable as there were no expectations at all. It felt lighter on his heart.

"Well, I think you're pretty amazing too, Severus Snape. And for what is worth, I think Lily missing out on you." Mary whispered as she stared back into his eyes. No sooner were those last few words spoken, that Snape felt a sudden urge to embrace Mary right there and then. He thought back to the days after the Ball and how much tears he had shed since then. Even with Alice intervening and trying to help him out, Snape could not help but feel that his sacrifice, no matter how great it was to him, felt hollow in nature.

"Thank you, Mary," Snape said gratefully as he pulled her into a tight hug before pulling back. "I really needed that."

"You want to head back to the castle?" Mary said as she looked up towards the sun that was slowly setting in the horizon.

"Let's stay here for a while longer," Snape said, feeling no rush to get back to the Gryffindor common room.

….

"Thanks for today." Snape and Mary said in unison as they entered the Entrance Hall. Facing each other, Snape burst out in laughter as Mary giggled uncontrollably.

"Great minds think alike," Mary said as Snape smiled at her. "Well, I have to go back to the Tower. I need to pack for tomorrow."

"You're leaving?" Snape said, feeling slightly disappointed.

"Yeah, the Portkey remember. Trust me, I rather stay here a couple more days." Mary sighed as she looked away from Snape. "But we could write to each other if you want."

"That sounds great," Snape replied as he looked at her. The mood suddenly felt awkward as Mary looked to the staircase while Snape turned towards the Great Hall. This was the moment they had to part ways.

"Mary, I can't thank you enough for today. I'm sure you've noticed how down I've been feeling and well, I don't feel so down anymore. But as for my feelings…" Snape spoke before Mary raised her hand.

"It's okay, Severus. You're still getting over Lily and I'm just trying to live my life at the moment. I'm okay with being friends."

Snape beamed at Mary. "Maybe we could hang out once you get back from America. Before school starts. Take a trip through Diagon Alley."

Mary blushed as she smiled at him. "I'll like that. We return back a month before school starts. I'll write to you."

"Nice."

"Nice."

Snape scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Well, I guess you should better go and start packing."

Mary didn't move a muscle. Instead, she seemed to have gone completely red in the face as she looked down at her feet.

"What's wrong, Mary?" Snape asked with concern on his face. All of a sudden, Mary flipped her head up to face him before balling up her fists. He could see her blue eyes boring a hole through his head as he watched her wrestle with some sort of conflict in her head.

"Screw it." Mary cried out loud. "I'm a Gryffindor." And with that, she gently pressed her lips onto his.

…..

Ever since Snape realised he was in love with his best friend, he had spent countless hours fantasizing about what it would feel like to kiss Lily Evans. Snape often pictured himself as the best friend who would find Lily crying in some corner over a former flame. He pictured himself comforting her while pulling her close to his chest as he gently brushed the tears from her eyes. He pictured how Lily would turn to face him, her long strands of red hair covering the side of her face as Snape gently brushed them aside to look into those forlorn green eyes before pressing his lips gently onto hers. He would then cup her face with his hands before gently massaging her cheeks as he pressed his lips harder onto hers. It was usually at this moment that Snape would wake up to find wet stains on the pillow that he had been kissing and even more of a different kind on his bedsheets. Yet despite how good the fantasy was, the reality of kissing someone was quite different.

The first thing Snape did was to feel completely frozen on the spot. He felt the heat rising throughout his body as his lower half started getting stiff. Part of him wanted to chastise himself for feeling such a way towards Mary, knowing that it was mostly lust and yet, Snape had to admit that the feeling of being kissed by Mary was not bad at all. In fact, it superseded any fantasy of him kissing Lily. He felt the slight brush of her nose on his as warmth radiated from the touch of her soft lips pressed up against his. A powerful rush of happiness course through him as Snape felt his heart beating so fast and so loud that he feared it would burst.

"I'm sorry!" Mary gasped as soon as she broke off the kiss and looked mortified at what she had done. "It's just that… I won't see you for a few months…and I had such a good time today…and oh Merlin, I've screwed this up, haven't I?"

"No, no, it was nice!" Snape said hastily as he touched his lips. He wasn't lying. It had been quite an interesting experience. Inside his head, he could hear Alice's voice screaming out in approval.

"Really?" Mary said, feeling unconvinced by Snape.

"Really," Snape said as he beamed at her, leading to Mary to giggle a little before smiling at him. "Sorry if I seemed to be in shock. It's just… I've never been kissed before. That was my first kiss."

"Sorry, it couldn't be with Lily," Mary uttered randomly as Snape took a moment to stare at the witch before staring into the Great Hall. He could make out Lily seated there as she laughed at something Sirius said while leaning her head on James's shoulder. Looking at her, Snape felt as if he was staring into a portrait. He stared at the physical affection that the two displayed towards one another.

 _I would never feel that_ Snape thought, but not as bitterly as he used to.

 _You want to know what's better than falling in love? Being loved._

As Alice's words rang in his head, Snape watched as Mary turned to face him. Without hesitation, Snape gave her a genuine smile.

"I'm not," Snape said as Mary beamed at him.

…..

"Hey, Severus."

Snape was busy adjusting his tie when he heard a familiar voice call out his name at the bottom of the stairs. It was the last day of term and Snape was looking forward to the sumptuous End-of-Year Feast that the elves put on each year. Looking down, he saw Lily standing at the foot of the stairs, stroking her flaming red hair as she looked awkwardly at him. It was only then did Snape realised he had never quite gotten around to spending some alone time with Lily, much less apologise to her. Ever since Mary left, the next two days had passed by rather quickly with Snape being preoccupied with other issues. The first had to do with Sirius who got into a rather heated argument with his younger brother Regulus. Sirius then broke the news to James and Snape that he was going to run away from home. James wasted no time welcoming him to Godric's Hollow.

The second had to do with Lord Voldemort. The Daily Prophet broke the news of many places in Great Britain being targeted by the Death Eaters. To add to the horror, Muggle killings had started to rise once again. The Ministry of Magic issued an alert and many students were now feeling scared to leave the safety of Hogwarts.

Despite everything that was happening, Snape knew he couldn't fully blame war or Sirius for his reasons for avoiding Lily. He had told James about his outing with Lily, resulting in a roar of approval and a late night of binge drinking with the Marauders and he was certain that Lily must have heard it from James. Yet, Snape realised that he needed that absence of Lily in his life. For those two days, Snape's heart had become much lighter and felt more at peace that he had in a long time.

"Hey, Lily," Severus said, giving her a smile which she returned. "James will be coming down soon."

"That's okay," Lily replied as she gave him a nervous look. "I was wondering if I could talk to you."

"Of course," Snape said as he stood before her. It was surprising to see Lily fumbling and fidgeting about in front of him. Usually, it was the other way around.

"Sev, I'm not really very good at this." Lily began with a sigh. "But I want to apologise for the other day. I said some things that I shouldn't have and I guess things got out of hand."

"That's okay," Snape replied with a smile. "I'm sorry too. For yelling at you."

A short period of awkward silence stood between them until Lily decided to speak.

"So, we're good?"

"We're good," Snape said as he extended his hand at her. He could see that his action had surprised her a little. Usually after an argument, Lily and Snape would resolve things with a hug. Taking a moment to compose herself after her initial surprise, Lily smiled at him as she shook his hand before playfully slapping him.

"So I heard from Alice and James that you went out with Mary! When were you going to tell me?" Lily asked excitedly.

"I thought James would have told you."

Lily looked at Snape as if he was insane.

"Severus, I know things have been sort of tense between us and like especially now that I'm dating James. But just because I'm dating James doesn't mean that anything should change between us. I still want to know what's happening in your life. If you have any problems or if you need help or if you're seeing someone. What might seem mundane to some is still very important to me especially when it's you. You're still my best friend, Severus, and I care about you a lot. I always will. Even if we chose different paths in life, I still want you by my side. You mean a lot to me and if I've never really told you that before, then I'm so sorry, Sev"

Snape sighed out loud. "Things are okay, Lily. I just got distracted by other things and don't worry, you're still my best friend." Snape said before giving her a warm smile. "Let's catch up on the train ride back."

"I like that," Lily said as she beamed at him before giggling. "What have you done to your hair?"

Snape grinned at her as he flipped his hair from side to side. It was considerably shorter than the long locks he used to sport. He had sent a photograph to Mary and was waiting for her approval.

"Like it?"

"I love it!" Lily said as she stroked his hair. "Really makes you look so handsome, Sev."

"Thanks! Alice did it for me." Snape replied as he brimmed with joy.

"Alice, huh," Lily said as her voice had turned strangely curt while she narrowed her eyes at Snape. "You two seem to spend an awful lot of time together."

"She's a good friend," Snape said before another familiar voice interrupted them.

"Who's a good friend?"

"Hey, Alice!" Snape said as he beamed at Alice who was making her way down from the dormitories. "See you and James at the feast," Snape said to Lily as he dragged Alice out of the common room with a second glance back at Lily.

"You better be careful, Sev. People might think we're dating." Alice giggled as she nodded towards her hand that Snape still had firmly in his grasp. Snape released it immediately as his ears started to turn pink.

"Any word from Mary?" Snape asked as Alice shook her head.

"No word from your girlfriend so far."

"She's not my girlfriend. We're just friends." Snape gushed as Alice gave him a cheeky grin.

"For now."

"I just hope she's okay." Snape sighed as Alice placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You-know-who's followers are cracking down real hard on Muggle-borns."

"Don't worry, Sev. She's on another continent. I'm sure she'll be safe there."

"There's a war coming, Alice," Snape said as they entered the Great Hall. "It's time for us to take a stand."

"Sure, but let's check on our OWLs first before rushing head-on into battle, shall we?" Alice replied before seeing a familiar, lanky figure waving his hand excitedly at her from the Hufflepuff table. "I got to meet Frank first. See you at the table?"

Snape glanced at the long table where the Gryffindor banner was displayed proudly at its head. "Sure, sit next to me?"

Alice gave Snape an incredulous look. "Are you sure?"

"Why not?" Snape asked.

"Because…." Alice said as she slowly walked backward towards Frank while facing Snape. "Doesn't Lily always sit next to you?"

As Snape watched Alice walk away, he slowly made his way towards his empty chair at the Gryffindor Table. As Snape sat down, he took a moment to admire the large and glittering House Cup as the light bounced off its shiny, golden surface. Behind the cup, however, was the Sorting Hat. Snape smiled to himself as he thought about just how much had changed in four years since that very decision. He had conquered his fears. He had banished his pureblood notions. He had faced down his bullies. He had stood up to his father. He had left Spinner's End and was in a home with a loving family who supported him. Most important of all, Snape had friends. He had James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Alice, Dorcas, and Mary. And it was all because of the redheaded witch that sat beside him all these years. The same redhead witch who he had fallen for before she eventually fell for his best friend. The same redhead witch who shattered his heart as he watched her dance with James. The redhead witch whom he placed on a pedestal, and whom he had sworn to love her and only her for the remainder of his life.

" _Doesn't Lily always sit next to you?"_

Snape looked at the empty chair before picturing the events of the past few days. A tiny smile crept on his face as Snape whispered out loud, to no one in particular before turning his attention back to the Feast.

"Not always."

…..

 **A/N: I heard on how sad and dark my previous chapter was so here's a much lighter one! When I first wrote this chapter, I thought it would be kind of filler towards what I wanted to achieve but then again, it is crucial to Snape's development for what is to come. Next up, the chapters will get progressively darker as we head towards their graduation as well as the warring years between 1977 to 1981. Once again, thanks for reading. Review if you like and I'll see you guys soon**

 **P.S. I CANNOT WAIT FOR FANTASTIC BEASTS 2!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I'm so sorry if I kept you all waiting for quite some time! This chapter was particularly difficult to write as I kept being unhappy with it over and over again. For anyone who is a writer, I'm sure you know what I mean. I constantly kept cutting and changing over and over again and even now, I'm not a hundred percent happy with it. Nevertheless, if I keep doing so then this story will never be completed and we can't have that! To make it up to you, this chapter is 16000 words long.**

 **This chapter is the MOST IMPORTANT** __ **I've written so far and you will understand once you've finished reading. As you know, since now that Snape's life has taken a turn, some things will change and completely shift it away from canon. Honestly, I can't wait for them to graduate because life after Hogwarts is going to be much more interesting to write as that's where the darker chapters reside. I did mention something about 1981 and that year will be important but right now, I'm still unsure if I'm going to end the story there as so many thoughts keep coming through. The ending, I've already pictured, but for now just enjoy the ride.**

 **Thank you so, so, so much for the reviews! As I'm writing this, response has been massive to see it jump to 50 reviews now! The follows and favourites have increased as well! And thank you so much for putting this story in three communities! I'm so grateful to each and every one of you especially those who gave such long reviews! To see you invested in my story brings me joy. PLEASE do continue to review, favourite, follow or give me feedback! I appreciate them all!**

 **Disclaimer: I own not a single property of HP as all of it belongs to Robert Galbraith. There are other parts that belong to other people but since they're plot related, I can't say this now.**

 **The Importance of Being Snape**

" _You know, I sometimes think that we Sort too soon." – Albus Dumbledore, The Prince's Tale_

 **Chapter Four**

 _1969_

Snape fell on his mattress as he curled himself up into a corner. He could still feel the fresh tears dripping down in his face as his sheets started to soak. His father had gotten into yet another drunken rage and for the first time in a long time, Snape actually shouted back at his father. It had all started when Snape sat down with his parents to listen and watch the Apollo 11 mission. Apparently, according to his mother, the Muggles had reached the moon and would soon; take their first steps on it. His father had taken the opportunity to insult wizards as he ranted about how much Muggles have achieved. Snape had countered that he too could reach the moon if given a Portkey and that wizards would be able to survive there without the need for spacesuits. One thing led to another and if his mother had not intervened, the fat lip he had gotten from the blow his father had given him would be the least of his potential injuries. Snape touched his swollen bottom half of his lips as he tasted the blood coming out from a small cut.

 _It's magical blood_ Snape thought as he tasted it. His magic had appeared a year before and since then, Snape often dreamt of going to Hogwarts, a magical boarding school in Britain where he could learn about his powers just like his mother who was a witch. More than anything else, it was, at the very least, a safe refuge from the likes of Tobias Snape.

"Dear?"

Snape shut his eyes as the door to his room creaked open. He knew his mother would come to check on him. She always did, unless Tobias had hurt her so badly that she couldn't walk. He could see the shadow of the approaching Eileen Prince walking over towards him as she shuffled her feet across his floorboards. Snape let out a soft snore as he pretended to be asleep, not wanting to get into a conversation with his mother. He felt the mattress shifting as a large weight sat down next to him. Snape felt his mother's cold hands running through his hair as he heard her soft crying as she gently stroked his head.

"Sev, you can't fool your mother. Please don't ignore me." Eileen spoke in a soft whisper. Snape shifted his head, not wanting his mother to comfort him any longer. He was still angry at her, after all.

"Sev, I'm so sorry. You know that, deep down; your father loves you…"

Snape let out an internal snort. _Yeah, right!_

"…and sometimes, he gets out of control. But I'm talking to your father now about his behaviour and with time, he might be able to change…"

 _Are you serious?!_

"…whatever it is, know that I love you and that I'm…always looking out for you."

Snape felt his anger boiling at his mother's words while he laid there, using his tongue to lick away on his wound. He felt his mother's face approaching as he felt a pair of lips touch the side of his forehead. Immediately, Snape shifted away before sitting up and glaring at his mother.

"Dad hurt me, mom. Just because I said wizards are better than Muggles which they are! Dad's nothing but a pathetic, horrible Muggle! Grindelwald was right!"

"Severus Snape!" Eileen whispered harshly as she looked sternly at her son. "Never mention that evil wizard's name ever again."

"Why shouldn't I?" Snape replied, ignoring his mother. "He was right, wasn't he? Look at how Dad turned out to be. Always insulting our kind. Always hitting me! Muggles are bad, Mother!"

"Severus," Eileen replied gently, her expression softening as she touched her son's cheek. "Just because your dad is the way he is, doesn't mean all Muggles are bad. Your father just has some issues to work out with, that's all. I'm sure he really does love you. You are his son, after all."

"I don't get it, Mother." Snape insisted, refusing to back down. "If Dad always hurts me, how can he love me? And why do you defend him? Why can't you protect me more? Like, cast a spell on Dad?"

"I can't do that, Severus. The Ministry takes any magic used against Muggles very seriously."

"I wish I could do it. Maybe when I'm at Hogwarts…"

"You would be underaged," Eileen replied as she shook her head. "The Ministry still has the Trace on you. Besides, just because someone hurts us, doesn't mean we retaliate by hurting them back. What good does it do?"

"It's better than doing nothing. It's better than doing nothing and just letting him hurt me!" Snape snapped as he glared at his mother. Eileen looked sadly at Snape for a moment before letting out a sigh. Removing her wand, Eileen cast a spell as the door closed shut. Uttering another spell, Snape watched as images of knights in shining armour appeared as they rode on horses with their swords glistening in the air.

"You remember the stories I used to tell you, Severus, when you were younger and I would read to you before you sleep? About knights in shining armour who would rescue damsels in distress? Those stories were filled with it. Heroes and villains. Good and evil. Where you could see the darkness and you could see the light…"

Snape watched in awe as he tried to touch one of the knights only to have his fingers go through the image.

"I wish I could tell you that the world is that easy." Eileen continued, as she smiled at her son. "I wish I could tell you that everyone in this world right now is either good or bad, just like in those stories. But life isn't a fairy-tale, Severus and people…people aren't either good or bad. We all have both of it in us and sometimes, it's hard to decide what a person is."

"But Dad is bad, Mother. He hit me!" Snape said as he looked at her.

"Your father is the way he is because of circumstances that made him that way," Eileen replied as she gently stroked his hair. "He wasn't like that when we got married. I love him for who he was back then. Sweet and charming, your father was. But then after we got married, things changed and soon, he changed as well. Your father had to endure terrible things and that made him the man you see today."

 _Doesn't mean he has to hit me_ Snape thought bitterly.

"I'm a bad mother too, aren't I?" Eileen spoke, surprising Snape with her statement. "What kind of mother sits back and lets someone hurt their kid? I know you can't see it now, Severus, but there's a reason to everything that I do. One day, you'll understand why I'm doing what I'm doing and trust me, it's because I love you, Severus."

Snape hesitated as his mother looked at him. He wanted to give her a hug so badly but his bottom lip was still tingling and instead, Snape merely nodded his head.

Eileen smiled at the reaction. "Anyways, Severus, if you want to go to bed, I can tuck you in. But if you want, you can come down to the living room to watch the Muggles walk on the moon. They just landed but no one has stepped out yet. Your father is there, I'm afraid but I've talked to him and he has assured me that he will leave you alone. You can sit next to me if you want."

Snape thought about it for a moment. A part of him, one that was frightened wanted to sleep in his room until morning and yet there was another part of him, one filled with anger and determination that refused to allow him to bow to fear. How could a wizard cower under a Muggle, after all?

"I'm going, Mother," Sev said as he got up. Eileen clapped her hands in delight as she stood up next to him. Holding out her hand, Sev took it as Eileen held it gently.

"Mother," Sev spoke as they walked towards his door. "Do you think Dad can change back?"

"I don't know, Sev. I speak to him every day. Hopefully, one day, he will see the error of his ways." Eileen said as she opened the door. "Either way, I have to try."

"Dad's not going to change. He's going to be like this forever." Snape said bitterly as they approached the stairs. Eileen stopped in her tracks as she stooped down to look at her son.

"No one is born bad, Severus. Bad people are the way they are because of circumstances and the decisions they made. Just because someone stumbles and chooses a darker path, doesn't mean we can't bring them back. No one on this Earth is pure evil."

"Even-He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?" Snape said at the thought of the powerful Dark wizard whose stories from Eastern Europe had reached him. _If Lord Voldemort isn't pure evil, he can't be that bad_ Snape thought as he stared at his mother who gave him a strange look.

"I admit he does come close but no, not even him."

"I wish," Snape said his thoughts turned towards his father as he stared down the stairs. "I wish people wouldn't be bad."

"So do I, Sev. So do I. Who knows, maybe one day you could do it."

"Do what?"

"Make people good. Help them. Even save the world."

"Yeah right, Mother," Snape said as he let out a soft laugh. "I'm not a knight in shining armour. I'm not a hero."

"Not all heroes are knights, Sev," Eileen said as she gave him a sweet smile. "Sometimes, the world doesn't need a hero. What it needs is someone to do the right thing even if it's not considered to be good. You'll understand that one day."

Eileen stood up on her feet as she led Snape down the stairs.

"Who knows, maybe you can save the world, Sev. Just by helping people on darker paths find their way. Like I do with your father."

"Helping one person doesn't change the world, Mother. It's not going to make a difference." Snape said bitterly as he shook his head.

"Can't say I blame you for feeling this way, Severus," Eileen said as she reached for the light switch before turning it on. "It's hard to see the light when you've been living in darkness."

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, just before their living room, Eileen turned her attention back to her son with a smile on her face.

"How about we go to the kitchen and you help me make cookies? Then later, I would like to tell you a story. It's about a starfish."

…..

 _1977_

The first half of his sixth year had come and gone. Things couldn't be better for Snape. He, James and Sirius had grown closer together due to them staying over at James's for the summer. Remus and Peter continued their closeness as well. Alice and Frank had now joined into their clique, with Alice constantly being a source of advice and support for Snape. There was a new member in Dorcas Meadows, a tanned, brunette witch who was a friend of the girls.

"So, your birthday is coming soon, Sev? Any plans for the big occasion?" James asked as he winked at Severus. Once Christmas was over, the clique had decided to return to Hogwarts early to celebrate the New Year. James had thrown an elaborate party at the Quidditch Pitch as the gang set off fireworks into the night. The night had been truly amazing, although the next day proved to be a little less so as all of them were nursing slight hangovers. The girls had gone to the locker room bathrooms to freshen up while the boys sat in the spectator stands of the Quidditch Pitch.

"You should start by casting spells out in the open!" Sirius interjected before Snape could speak.

"I wish I could do that." James lamented. "Blasted Trace!"

"Oh, is little James upset cos he's still a small boy?" Sirius mocked as he patted James's head. The latter retaliated by swiping his Sirius's hand away while the rest of the group broke into laughter.

"Shut up!" James snapped.

"Speaking of which, I think I can figure out the best birthday present," Sirius said, ignoring James as he turned towards Snape. "I was thinking of purchasing a flat in London, what with the amount of gold I still have in my vault at Gringotts. Want to stay with me, Sev?"

"Hey! What about me?!" James blurted out, pretending to look hurt.

"Sorry, James, but this flat would only be for adults," Sirius said.

"Does that mean I can stay as well?" Frank asked eagerly as Sirius winked at him before nodding. "If you're of age, join us on stage!"

"Fine!" James scoffed as he looked at Remus and Peter. "You guys can come with me!"

"Actually, we do make an exception for werewolves," Sirius said as he winked at Remus who cringed a little. Even though everyone in the group knew of Lupin's condition and had sworn themselves to secrecy, it still made Remus slightly uneasy at the mention of it.

"And Peter," Sirius said as he looked at Peter. "We can't afford a house-elf so I suppose you can come too."

Peter said nothing. Instead, he timidly flipped Sirius off instead, earning a mock gasp from the rest of them.

"That kind of attitude won't do well in the house, Peter," Sirius remarked as the rest now started laughing with Peter joining in as well.

"Oh, and your other halves are invited as well. So, Remus, Dorcas can come live with us and Severus, Mary's welcome as well." Sirius said, prompting both boys to flush red. Remus and Dorcas had both gotten together after slight nudging from Snape and Alice who saw how they acted between each other. Mary, on the other hand, was a different story.

Ever since she had gotten back from America, Severus and Mary had been nearly inseparable. The closeness was forged through letters and meetings and the more time Snape spend with Mary, the happier he had been. Mary was kind and understanding but above all, she genuinely cared for Snape with all of her heart. Though he hadn't officially asked her to be his girlfriend, Snape knew the perfect date to do so.

"Well, seeing that you're single, Sirius" James remarked as he smirked at his best friend. "I suppose you're going to be upset seeing how the rest of your housemates all have partners."

"Of course not!" Sirius yelled while giving them all a cheeky grin. "Do you really think I invited Peter over to be a house-elf? You're much more than that, Pete!" Sirius said as he winked at Peter, who had turned slightly pale, while the rest were falling to the ground in laughter.

"Anyways, Sev," James said as he turned his attention back to Snape. "How are things going on with Mary?"

"We're good," Snape said with a smile. "I mean, things are getting serious pretty quickly and she's been great to hang out with and talk to."

"And snog?" James snickered as Snape's ears started to turn pink.

"I thought you guys were already shagging?" Sirius spoke with a grin on his face.

"No!" Snape snapped as he glared at Sirius, who raised his hands in defence.

"Hey, relax. None of us here have shagged before. We thought you might be the first one."

"You haven't shagged before?" Frank said in astonishment as he turned to Sirius and James.

"No," Sirius spoke as the rest turned their attention to James. Snape felt a slight lurch in his heart. Even though things had been better than they had been with Lily, it still bothered him slightly whenever the pair of her and James showed any form of affection for the other. James soon realised that every pair of eyes were on him.

"Are you all crazy?! Bloody hell! Does Lily seem like the kind of girl to do that before marriage?"

Peter raised his hand slightly as if he knew the answer, only for Remus to push it back down slowly. James sighed as he motioned for his mates to come closer.

"Lily and I have been having some problems. Lately, she just seems so snarky all of a sudden. I mean, you all saw what happened last night, right? All I wanted to do was let out some fireworks and instead, she's the one that blows up."

"Yeah, she's been short with me lately," Sirius said as Peter and Remus nodded.

"Well, I'm not that close to her yet," Frank said as he turned to Snape. "What about you?"

Snape pondered for a moment. Sure, Lily did seem a little different but he hadn't really noticed it yet. In fact, Lily had been quite nice to him so far, and patient as well. "Not me," Snape said as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah, well, she has been with me. Said that if either one of us wants to become Head Boy or Head Girl, we have to be a little more cautious about the rule-breaking." James sighed as he laid back on his seat. "Just between us boys, I don't think I can last this one out."

"But don't you guys love each other?" Snape asked.

"I do. We still do." James replied as he rubbed his forehead. "But sometimes, I don't know why we're behaving like this."

"I have a theory," Frank said as the rest looked towards him. "Well, your honeymoon period is over for a while now and seeing that you're in a relationship and not just trying to get to know each other, certain issues that you both put aside during the early stages of your relationship no longer seem trivial. Either that or it's the timing."

"Thanks, Doctor Longbottom," James said sarcastically.

"Timing?" Peter asked.

"Yes, timing," Frank said, ignoring James. "Why do you think everyone's getting hitched now? With You-know-who on the rise and everyone scared for their lives, romance turns to relationships faster than when James sees the Snitch. The issue with us is that we're all in a relatively safe place right now and can focus more on our relationships. Perhaps if you've gotten together with Lily next year, James, this wouldn't be an issue."

"How was I supposed to know I get together with her last year? I didn't even really think I was in love with her then." James blurted out as Snape gave him a look of surprise.

"You weren't in love with her?" Snape asked as James gave him a thoughtful expression.

"I mean, I did fancy her quite a bit but I wouldn't call it love. To be perfectly honest, Sev, I wouldn't have gone for her until you told me to."

"Maybe you just need to shag her," Sirius said, wrecking everyone's train of thought as they stared at him. "What?! I heard it helps."

"This is why you're single, Sirius," Remus said.

"He might have a point," Frank said as Snape turned to face him.

"Why? Have you and Alice done it?" Snape asked, wondering why such a thought bothered him. Frank shook his head. "No. Just thinking that Sirius might have a point."

"Well, in any case, I'm screwed either way," James said as he stood up.

"What are you guys talking about?"

The six boys turned around to see four witches looking at them. Flinching slightly at the shock of hearing Lily's voice, the six boys exchanged looks with one another.

"We were just…" James said as he turned to Sirius.

"Talking about…" Sirius added as he looked at Remus

"What it would be like…" Remus said as he looked at Peter.

"Like…to…" Peter said, looking desperately at Snape and Frank.

"To become Aurors." Snape finished as he gave a fake smile towards the girls, which all the boys mimicked.

"What do you girls think?" Frank asked as James beamed approvingly at him.

"Wow," Alice said as she smirked at the wizards. "That was so…believable. Good coordination, prats!"

"Well, I think it's an important thing to discuss," Mary said as she smiled at Snape, who mouthed a silent thank you. Lily, Alice, and Dorcas stared at her before shrugging their shoulders and joining the boys.

"Well, if you 're going to become Aurors," Dorcas spoke as she glared at Remus. "You're going to have your work cut out for you. Or have you not read who the new Head Auror is?"

"Bartemius Crouch," James said with pride. "The guy's a legend."

"More like insane," Lily remarked as Alice and Dorcas nodded in approval. "You do realise he has quite the kill count, don't you? Almost all the Dark Wizards and supporters of You-know-who he's caught have been dead rather than captured. He's worse than Moody."

"Hey, Moody's a legend!" Sirius retorted as Lily rolled her eyes at him.

"Well, what if Crouch or Moody hurt someone who's not in league with You-know-who?" Dorcas added. "They could be killing innocent lives here. Some of these people aren't in league with Him, they just do things out of fear for their safety and their family's safety."

"Oh please." James scoffed. "It's either you're on the good side or the bad side. That's nothing else to it. If your safety comes at the cost of others, you've chosen your side, like it or not."

"Sympathy is the worst thing to have when fighting a war." Remus murmured as Frank and Peter nodded their heads in agreement.

"So you're saying that everyone is either a good guy or a bad guy?" Lily spoke as she glared at James. "That's like saying Slytherins are evil just because they've produced the most number of Dark Wizards!"

"Slytherins are EVIL!" James snapped as he glared at Lily. "Look at Avery and Mulciber. We all know they're going to join You-know-who! Sometimes I wonder why Dumbledore allows this. We all know they're evil, we all know they're bad, why can't we just send them to Azkaban before they start hurting people?!"

"Because that makes us no different from Death Eaters!" Lily cried. "Judging someone based on which house they are or what blood they have. It's still stereotyping!"

Snape kept quiet as the rest watched Lily and James argue between themselves. He felt that they both made good points. Avery and Mulciber had chosen their paths long ago and were most definitely going to be Death Eaters but Snape couldn't help but feel drawn towards Lily's point. Snape's thoughts turned back to his mother on that fateful night seven years ago.

 _People aren't either good or bad. We all have both of it in us and sometimes, it's hard to decide what a person is._

"Look, I'm willing to concede that not _all_ Slytherins are evil," James said as he glared at Lily. "But we know the ones that are and we're allowing them to stay here safe knowing that as soon as they're of age, they're going to go out there to hurt people."

"That's why Dumbledore and McGonagall and the rest of the teachers are trying to get the Slytherins to bond more with the other houses." Lily retorted, not wanting to back down as well. " That's why we had the Ball and provide counselling sessions. Dumbledore even insisted that several of the Slytherins take up Muggle Studies as part of their curriculum."

"Counselling sessions?!" James spat incredulously. "Sure, that'll work against years of pureblood doctrine. No matter what they do, Dumbledore must know what these Slytherins will become! Sometimes, I think he's just too bloody arrogant to admit that."

"What's your suggestion, James? That we pick them off one by one when they're still kids? Or that we lock them up somewhere before they've committed any crime?" Lily snapped.

"They're consorting and fraternizing with the enemy. That should be a crime!" James roared. Lily shook her head as James took a step towards her.

"It's too late for people like Avery and Mulciber. They've made their choice a long time ago." James said firmly. " Shipping them to Azkaban might seem extreme but that's one less Death Eater to worry about."

"So you're saying that they're all a lost cause, James?" Lily snapped. "Or aren't you just as proud as you claim Dumbledore to be in deciding who people are before they're given a chance to decide for themselves?"

"Maybe, but at least in my way, people won't get hurt. Innocent people who suffer at the hands of every would-be Death Eater we set free." James replied stubbornly.

"If everyone thinks like you, they'll lose their humanity," Lily remarked.

"They'll live," James said.

"I agree with James," Sirius spoke, eager to break the tension between the two. "I mean, just look at my brother."

Everyone shared an uncomfortable look as Sirius spoke of Regulus, his younger brother who was on the Slytherin's Quidditch team and played with a passion as intense as one he had with his hatred of Sirius. The two gave each other dirty looks ever since they passed down the hall, with Regulus accusing Sirius of abandoning his family. There had been many rows and even fights where it took both James and Severus to pull Sirius off from greatly harming his brother and being expelled.

"There might be a chance for Regulus, Sirius," Alice spoke as the rest looked at Sirius sympathetically. Instead, Sirius's face only had a momentary look of sadness before it was taken over by contempt. "No, it's too late for Regulus. He's already told me his desire to join with You-know-who. Says getting the Dark Mark would be the perfect birthday gift."

"Have you tried talking to him?" Mary asked as Sirius shook his head.

"There's no reasoning with a future Death Eater, Mary. Not that my family's got any problem with that. The Blacks always prided themselves on being pure-blood and they see You-know-who as some sort of Messiah. We're so pureblood that if I had a sister, you can bet I'll have to marry her too." Sirius added on a lighter tone, as everyone gave a nervous laugh.

"Well, if she's anything like your cousin," James said as he winked at Remus who turned red. "I'm sure Remus wouldn't mind."

"Oh, you mean Andromeda?" Sirius chuckled as he glanced at Remus. "Sorry mate but she's married. I could introduce you to her daughter if you want. Although she's only about three or four."

"That will be totally inappropriate," Remus said.

"Maybe when she's older?" Peter added.

"Excuse me, you do have a girlfriend!" Dorcas snapped as she glared at Remus who looked at her apologetically as the rest started to laugh out loud. Snape nodded that although the mood had lifted, tension still remained between Lily and James who were both seated away from each other.

"Anyways," James spoke out after the laughter had died down. "As to our futures, I think we should all just stick together. We definitely can't rely on anyone else, not even Dumbledore."

"Why not Dumbledore?" Peter asked.

"Because I don't trust him," James said in a very serious manner. "I rather put my faith in you, Peter than in his hands."

"Why don't you trust him?" Snape asked.

"Because I don't trust him to act when he should," James answered as he stared hard at the rest of them. "Look, I'm not denying he's a great wizard and I do respect Dumbledore despite my speech but think about it, all of you. Let's look at the elephant in the room, shall we? Why hasn't Dumbledore seek out You-know-who as he did with Grindelwald? Speaking of which, why did it take him so long to fight Grindelwald? Think of the lives he could have saved if he just went full out and duelled with him."

"You-know-who is in hiding, James," Lily spoke. "Perhaps Dumbledore can't find him. I'm sure if it came to it, Dumbledore will defeat You-know-who."

"Unless he's not as strong as You-know-who." Peter cried fearfully as James shook his head.

"Nonsense, Peter. Dumbledore is the most powerful wizard in the world, much more than Voldemort is."

The entire group gasp out loud as James gave them a cheeky grin.

"You said his name!" Peter cried as James rolled his eyes.

"Of course I said his name. It's just a name, ain't it? Here, watch this." James said as he pointed his wand to his throat.

"James! Don't!" Lily yelled as her boyfriend ignored her.

"VOLDEMORT!"

James's voice echoed out loud as it reverberated throughout the entire pitch due to the Sonorus Charm that James had cast upon himself.

"James, you idiot!" Alice and Dorcas cried as Sirius gave his best friend a pat on the back.

"Bravo! Let me try!"

"NO!" Lily shrieked as she glared daggers at James. "That's not funny at all, James!"

"Relax, Lily," James said as he gave her his famous, lopsided grin. "It's the weekend and we're the only ones here. Who's going to know?"

"Indeed, Mr. Potter. Who is going to know?"

The entire group gasped and jumped in shock as Peter and Mary gave yelps of fright. Turning around to see where the familiar voice had come from, the entire group cringed under the glare of Professor McGonagall who was now frowning at them as she crossed her arms.

"Potter, Black, Lupin, Pettigrew, Snape, Longbottom, Macmillan, Evans, McDonald and Meadows." Professor McGonagall spoke without missing a beat. "Report to the Headmaster's Office. NOW!"

…

"I have to go back to Dumbledore's office later," James whispered as Professor Binns continued to drone on his lecture on the history of Dark Wizards.

"Well, you should have kept your mouth shut," Sirius responded as James continued to grumble under his breath. James had gotten into a heated argument with Lily in front of the Headmaster about the Slytherins. As a result, James had to attend sessions with Dumbledore though most of it had been helping Dumbledore with tasks such as cleaning his office and learning about spells.

"Wish I could go flying. Urgh, stupid Slytherins." James said as he glared at the bunch of Slytherins seated in front of them. A few noticed him and started glaring back.

"Speaking of them, why is your brother here, Sirius?" Remus asked as he noticed the familiar dark-haired boy with brown eyes and light skin seated attentively in front of Binns.

"Well, apparently some of the Slytherins have already left school…"

"Going off to join You-know-who, no doubt." James interrupted in a harsh whisper.

"…and Dumbledore told Binns that he was allowing a few of the fifth-years to join up, those whom he considered to be too good for their fifth-year class. So hence, my brother." Sirius growled as he glared at Regulus's direction.

"Potter, Black, Snape, Pettigrew and Lupin, come to the front please!" Binns barked, startling the five of them as the group approached Binns at his desk. Even as a ghost, Professor Cuthbert Binns was still capable of a deadly glare as he looked at the five of them with a grim, stern expression.

"I take it none of you paid attention just now when I asked the class to pair up for the assignment. Everyone in this class is to do a four-foot essay on a Dark Wizard of my choice for your selection. James, you are excused on this by orders of the Headmaster who needs you for something else."

James's expression had brightened upon hearing that he was excused only for it to change once he heard Dumbledore had another task for him. Binns turned his attention back to the other four.

"Peter, you will work with Remus seeing as that he seems the only one immune to your incompetence. As for you, Sirius and Severus, you will not be pairing up together. As per the Headmaster's orders, the two of you will have to be separated as well."

Sirius gave Snape a pained look in which he returned.

"Sirius, I will pair you up with your brother…"

"NO!" Sirius exclaimed with such loudness that the class stopped talking and turned their attention to him. Binns waved on for the class to continue discussing as he glared back at Sirius.

"That is not up to you, Sirius."

"Please sir, I can't work with my brother. Family issues, you see and you won't get a good of an essay as you deserve." Sirius said hastily as he pleaded with Binns. Binns glared at Sirius before sighing and turning his attention to Snape.

"Very well, then you Severus will work with Regulus. No more changing! Sirius, you will work with Amanda Byrne. Now go back to your seat, and wait for me to assign the Dark Wizard that each pair will be researching on." Binns barked as the five reluctantly took their seats.

…

"So who did you get?" Mary asked as she threw her quill down at her Transfiguration homework. Snape closed his Charms textbook on the library desk as he turned to face her. He noted the gentle smile on her face as well as her blonde hair that Mary had tied up in a bun. Watching her made his cheeks blush as he felt the warmth that only Mary could bring. The past few months had pushed them closer together and Snape recalled the moment on his birthday when he had asked for her to be his girlfriend. It was quite easily the best moment of his life. Realising that he had been staring at her for a few seconds, Snape blushed as he removed a piece of paper that Binns had given him and passed it over to Mary to read.

"Gellert Grindelwald." Mary gasped as she gave the paper back to Snape. "Wow, that's really interesting."

"And easy," Snape said as he fiddled with his quill. "Grindelwald is probably the most famous Dark Wizard behind Voldemort." Mary flinched a little at the mention of the name but said nothing. James had insisted his friends to say the Dark Lord's name as part of the task instructed by Dumbledore. Snape had taken to it fairly quickly, not only because James was the one asking but because like James, he saw no fear in mentioning a name.

"So I guess, you and Sirius or James will get an Outstanding, huh." Mary laughed as Snape shook his head.

"James is excused from the assignment and Binns split the rest of us up. I was assigned a new partner."

"Who?" Mary asked.

Snape let out another loud sigh. "It's Regulus."

"You have to work with Sirius's brother? The future Death Eater?" Mary gasped as Snape nodded.

"Yeah and, it's upon instructions from Dumbledore," Snape said as he dropped his quill onto his parchment. "So there's no backing out."

"Curious, isn't it?" Mary said. "That Dumbledore would ask for something like this. Seems like a punishment to me."

Snape nodded his head. "James thinks he's trying to test us or something. Or that maybe this is just some sort of cruel social experiment. James and Sirius can't believe I have to work with a Slytherin, much less Sirius's own brother." Mary listened intently before pondering a little and going back to her work.

"At any rate, I agree with what James said on New Year's Day. Imagine if I had to befriend Mulciber or Avery." Mary blurted out before glaring at her notes. "They can both rot in Azkaban, for all I care."

"Yeah, counselling sessions on those two are a joke. But I suppose, Lily does make a fair point."

"What?" Mary said, looking slightly affronted. Snape gave her a puzzled look before continuing.

"I mean, I get that we shouldn't waste our time with people like Mulciber and Avery, both who are long gone over to Voldemort's side but that doesn't mean others can't be saved. Just because someone stumbles and chooses a darker path, doesn't mean we can't bring them back." Snape said, echoing the words of his late mother.

"You have too much hope in people, Severus." Mary sighed as she looked back on her parchment. "I've learnt to expect the worst in people, especially Slytherins. Regulus isn't too far behind Mulciber and Avery or have you forgotten who his cousin is?"

"You mean Bellatrix? Sure. But what about Andromeda, his other cousin? She turned out to be good. She married a Muggleborn, Edward Tonks."

"Yes, but Regulus isn't Andromeda. You've seen the company he keeps." Mary countered. "They're all pureblood-loving, Muggle-hating sadists. Regulus could be no different."

"Well, I'm sure Lily believes otherwise."

Mary slammed her fist on the table so hard that Snape nearly leapt in the air.

"What the hell, Mary?!"

"Sure, let's all believe precious, beautiful Lily!" Mary growled as she glared at Snape. "Lily wouldn't possibly understand what I've gone through but hey, let's just pick her side, shall we?"

"What are you talking about?!" Snape exclaimed. "Lily's a Muggleborn just like you."

"And yet they bullied her, did they? Mulciber, Avery, the others. They always left her alone, short of just calling her names. And I'm sure you know why!" Mary roared, as Madam Pince gave them a frown before walking over towards them. Snape looked at Mary who looked angrier than he had ever seen her before. He could see she was waiting for an answer and yet none came. Letting out a frustrated growl, Mary packed up her things as she stomped away. Snape quickly packed his things as he chased after her.

"Mary, Mary! Wait up!" Snape said as he tried to catch up to her rapidly departing figure. Turning the corner, Snape found himself facing the last person he had wanted to see.

"Problems with your love life, Severus?" Regulus said as he broke away from his pack of Slytherins who were all glaring at Snape. "Better let her go. It's better to get rid of the Mudblood filth while you can."

Severus, who had been ignoring Regulus while he chased after Mary, stopped in his tracks before turning back and advancing menacingly at Regulus. "Don't call her that."

"What, Mudblood?" Regulus said as the group behind him snickered. "I call it like I see it."

"Well, you better take it back or I'll make you take it back," Severus said as he removed his wand from his robes and raised it at Regulus who rolled his eyes.

"Such false bravado. You Gryffindors are really stupid, aren't you? Assess the situation, Severus. There's just one of you and many of us. Do you really think you can win this fight?"

"I just need to get rid of one," Severus said with his wand pointed directly at Regulus. "The rest will scamper like rats."

"Or attack like rats. I see we've reached an impasse." Regulus said as he turned around to look at his gang. "Go on without me. Severus and I have something to discuss." The group glared back at Snape before turning around and walking away. Regulus motioned towards an empty classroom to which he walked straight in. Snape turned back towards where Mary had disappeared before sighing and walking into the classroom to meet Regulus.

"What do you want?" Snape asked as he stood in front of Regulus who was leaning back on a chair.

"Do you know the difference between Grindelwald and You-know-who? Grindelwald wanted to use his powers to rule over the Muggles. My master, on the other hand, well, he has other ideas. There's no need to rule over _all_ of them."

"Your master?" Snape said incredulously. "So you admit you're a Death Eater."

"Did I?" Regulus said with a wicked smile. "Maybe one day when the time comes, I will ascend to that highest honour."

"Or I could report you to Dumbledore." Snape snapped as he glared at Regulus who smirked back at him.

"You could. But you wouldn't, and do you know why?" Regulus spoke as he continued to smirk at Snape. "Because you're a Gryffindor, not some tell-tale coward. Or have I misjudged you, Snivellus? That is what my brother used to call you, wasn't it?"

Snape cringed upon hearing the familiar taunt. "If you have nothing to discuss, then I will leave." Snape spat as he made a beeline towards the door.

"Wait," Regulus spoke as Snape reached for the doorknob. He turned to see Regulus approaching him.

"I think it's fair to say that we both wished to be working with different partners on stupid Binns's assignment but since we can't, I propose a solution. We both know much about Grindelwald so why don't I write up the essay and you can go back to placating your girlfriend?"

"I don't skive off my work, Regulus," Snape said as he glared at the younger Black. "Besides, if I let you write it, I know that your opinion on Grindelwald will be biased."

"If the truth is a man's opinion, does that mean all truth is bias?" Regulus responded as he glared back at Snape. "Besides, you can't deny Grindelwald was a great wizard."

"Who did horrible things in the past." Snape snapped.

"Necessary things for the betterment of our kind." Regulus retorted. "Unless you're a Muggle-loving fool just like Dumbledore."

"He beat Grindelwald, didn't he?" Snape replied, not wanting to back an inch. "How does one justify killing Muggles and wizards for the sake of our kind?"

"Sometimes, doing what others consider bad is the right thing to do," Regulus spoke as he reached for the door. "If you insist on us working together, then meet me at the library when I call you."

"You'll call me?" Snape asked with a bemused smile on his face. Regulus let out a grunt of frustration before pulling out two Galleons. Muttering a charm under his breath, Snape watched as the two Galleons glow before the words _Library_ appeared on both coins. Regulus handed one over to Snape. "The Galleon will glow and vibrate each time I send a message. I've added an engraving on the back so you wouldn't do something stupid like spending it."

"Protean Charm," Snape said as he flipped the coin over to see a small S engraving on its back. "I'm impressed. That sort of magic is NEWT level standard."

There was a faint smile on Regulus's lips before it disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

"Don't be late," Regulus said dryly as he pulled the door open. Before walking out, Regulus turned around to face Snape, a knowing smile plastered on his face.

"Perhaps before you judge Grindelwald so quickly, look through what happened that year when Dumbledore defeated Grindelwald before you pass judgement so quickly about the killing of Muggles," Regulus said before he disappeared, leaving Snape to ponder his last words.

…..

"Merlin, Sev, can you smile more?!" Alice said as she threw the photograph into the water. Snape and Alice were seated next to the Black Lake as Alice had enchanted a camera to take photographs of them. Snape sighed as Alice put her arm around him as the camera floated in mid-air, a foot away from their faces. Forcing a smile on his face as Alice pressed her right cheek on his, the camera snapped as a photograph appeared in a puff of smoke. Alice grabbed the photograph before grunting in frustration and throwing the photograph away.

"Okay, what's up with you, Sev? I've already taken like ten photographs with you and not once, have you given me the smile I'm looking for."

"I'm not up for this today, Alice!" Snape snapped as he ran his fingers through his air. "Why are you even taking photographs of us? Take it with Frank."

"I've already taken it with Frank as well as every other member of our group, Sev," Alice said as she worked on her camera. "You're the last one."

"Can we take it another day? I've got a lot on my mind, at the moment."

Alice placed the camera down as she gave Snape a concerned look. "Okay, what's up with you? Is it Mary again? I've told you to talk to her."

Snape sighed out loud. Ever since their fight, Snape had spent the next few days trying to apologise to her yet Mary remained unconvinced. They started to avoid each other as they seemed to be on a rocky part of their relationship. Yet, for the first time, it wasn't Mary who was on his mind.

"It's Regulus. He asked to meet me in the library later today. Work on our assignment."

"So what's the big deal?"

"Nothing. I've just been thinking about it. What he said to me." Snape said as he recounted to Alice what he and Regulus spoke about the last time they met. Alice pondered for a moment before smacking Snape's arm in realisation.

"Of course! 1945. The end of the Second World War."

"Oww!" Snape said as he rubbed his arm before glaring at Alice. Alice, however, ignored his reaction as she looked eagerly at Snape.

"I think he's probably referring to the atomic bomb."

"The ones the American Muggles made?" Snape said as he tried to recall his Muggle history. Being a wizard had dampened his knowledge of the history of Muggles. Alice nodded her head.

"Back in 1945, when Dumbledore defeated Grindelwald, the Muggles were also at the end of their war. The American Muggles were at war with the Japanese Muggles, who had invaded lands in Asia though the tide had turned against them. Yet the Japanese refused to surrender and so, the Americans unleashed two atomic bombs, powerful bombs onto Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing thousands in the process and causing generations to suffer afterwards."

"Why didn't the Americans fight against the Japanese army?" Snape asked. "Wouldn't that be better?"

"They felt that it was the only way to end the war without risking more casualties, especially on their side," Alice said. "Although I do agree that it was horrific. These bombs, they didn't just kill people, Sev. They vaporise them and caused horrific injuries to others that were long lasting. Even the wizards and witches weren't immune to it. The _Maho-no Byoin_ , kind of like our St Mungo's reported that many wizards and witches suffered just as badly as the Muggles, some losing their powers completely for generations to follow. I admit what happened was bad but considering the alternative, causing many casualties on both sides and possibly killing more than what the bombs did, the American Muggles felt that it was necessary."

"Sometimes, doing what others consider bad is the right thing to do," Snape whispered, recalling Regulus's words to him. "But…that's just horrific. It's too extreme."

"Well, we can't be too soft on our enemies, Severus. Like James said, sometimes extreme measures are necessary. Did you know what the British Muggles did before the war?"

Snape shook his head.

"Well, the British Muggle government back then had to deal with this German muggle called Hitler. He's kind of like the…Voldemort…of our time." Alice said as she shuddered while mentioning the name. "He wanted more land and so, he intended to invade other countries to get it. The Muggle British Prime Minister, Neville Something, I forgot, did not want war and instead sought for peace. So he sought a compromise with Hitler in order to avoid war with Britain. Neville gave in to some of Hitler's demands by letting him occupy certain European lands and in response, Hitler would stop his invasion. Hitler instead betrayed the agreement and continued invading lands, leading to an all-out war."

"Neville wanted to do what he felt was good, avoiding bloodshed." Snape reasoned as Alice nodded.

"But, instead, he gave power to a monster that was already growing with power," Alice remarked as she fiddled with her camera. "Kind of makes you think, doesn't it? About what we should do with the Slytherins? Do we give in to them or fight them? Think they're all bad seeds or if a more peaceful solution can emerge?"

"We could always try to help some of them," Snape said as he thought of his mother.

"At any rate, just be careful of Regulus, Severus," Alice said as she smiled at him. "You can try talking to him but be careful. Don't forget what he is."

Snape nodded his head as he sighed, his thoughts now turning to Mary. "So I should talk to Mary?"

"Of course!" Alice said as she waved her wand at her camera which floated up in mid-air. "I've told you already. Mary's just upset because she thinks you're siding with Lily. She's just jealous and given how much she had to put up with you talking about Lily all the time, I say it's reasonable to expect that from her. Although she did overreact. Just talk to her and you'll be fine"

"She did overreact though," Snape replied glumly. "I mean, how was I supposed to know why the Slytherins targeted her instead of Lily?"

"That's because you were always by Lily's side." Alice laughed as she shook her head. "Lily had you watching her back while Mary had no one. The Slytherins might be a nasty bunch but they know better than to mess with the boy who knows more hexes than anyone in this school."

"Well, I can look out for Mary too!" Snape exclaimed. "No one is going to mess with her so long as I'm around."

"Well, aren't you the knight in shining armour?" Alice mocked with a cheeky grin plastered on her face. Snape gave her one of his own as he smirked at her.

"How do you know so much about Muggles anyways? Aren't you a Pureblood?"

"I was given an extensive Muggle education by my nanny, who was a Muggle by the way, when I was younger," Alice explained as she adjusted the camera using her wand. "My nanny's mother was a Muggle-born witch so it wasn't difficult for her to adjust in our household. I remembered always listening to her stories about Muggle life and how the world goes. She's no longer working with us but I always try to keep in touch with her. I'm worried something could happen."

"What's her name?" Snape asked.

"Penelope Granger. Has a younger brother who just got engaged. I'm invited to the wedding once the school's term is over."

"And you're worried about her, huh?" Snape said as Alice nodded her head sadly. Snape draped his arm over her as Alice leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I'm sure she'll be fine. If she's anything like you, she's going to be fine." Snape said as he looked at her. "You're the strongest person I know, Alice. You can handle anything."

"Except Frank's mother." Alice snickered as she turned to look at Snape. "The way she controls her son, urgh! Frank's such a mommy's boy!"

"I'm sure it can't be that bad."

"You don't know the half of it." Alice groaned. "Sev, promise me that if ever I have a son and if I ever treat my son like a mommy's boy, you would intervene immediately and show me this memory from a Pensieve."

"Fine." Snape chuckled. "I promise."

"Good," Alice said as she turned back to look at the camera. "And don't let him be raised by Frank's mom either! That woman is a nightmare. She'll probably turn him into some timid, meek character. You raise him, okay."

"Can we stop talking as if you're going to die?" Snape said crossly as Alice giggled. "Aww, will Severus Snape miss me when I'm gone?"

"Shut up." Snape snapped although a smile appeared on his lips. All of a sudden, Snape felt a vibration in his pants before reaching in to pull out the glowing Galleon. Snape groaned in frustration. "Take the picture. I have to go meet Regulus soon."

Alice nodded at him as she waved her wand. She draped her arm over Snape as he leaned onto her, their cheeks pressed against each other. Soon a puff of smoke appeared and Alice pulled the photograph towards them.

"You actually smiled!" Alice exclaimed as she clapped her hands. Snape stared at the picture of the two sixteen-year-olds smiling as they waved to the camera while making stupid faces. He felt a warm, tingling sensation flowing through his body.

"Take another one. I want to keep this one." Snape said as he took the photograph while Alice beamed at him.

….

"You're on time," Regulus said as he looked at his watch before staring curiously at Snape. Snape placed his books on the table as he sat across from him.

"You say that like you expected me to be late," Snape said calmly as he observed Regulus staring at him with a curious expression on his face.

"Well, you are a Gryffindor and one of James's sidekicks. Isn't lateness part of the whole Gryffindor holier-than-thou package?"

"So Grindelwald…" Snape said, not wanting to answer Regulus's question. Snape knew how Slytherins loved to take control and by changing the subject, Snape was not falling for it. As expected, Regulus gave a glare before turning to his books.

"Since we know much about Grindelwald, I suppose we can give one foot of our essay to history of Grindelwald from his birth to his rise in the early twentieth century and his fall at the hands of Dumbledore."

"Two feet," Regulus said as he continued to stare at his textbook. "I have much to say about him."

"Fine." Severus conceded. Two feet did sound better given the history of the second most dangerous Dark wizard. "So what we have to discuss is…"

"Our opinion on Grindelwald. Who he is." Regulus added as he looked grimly at Snape. "So what's your view on Grindelwald."

"That he was a power-hungry madman who was evil," Snape said as Regulus sneered at him.

"Evil is a matter of perspective. Like from my perspective, all you Muggle-loving fools are evil."

"Really? And why is that, Regulus?" Snape asked as he clenched his fists, waiting for Regulus to retort. Instead, Regulus gave him a strange expression.

"You're not like other Gryffindors, are you Severus? You're willing to get into a discussion with me rather than throw an insult back into my face."

"Well, the day is still early. Don't get your hopes up."

"Fine," Regulus said as he raised his hands in the air. "I'll go first. You recall what we spoke about the last time in the common room?"

Snape elaborated on everything Alice had told him, leading to Regulus looking slightly impressed. "I don't understand how a Slytherin would know about Muggle history anyways."

Regulus gave a dry laugh. "I always believed it's important to learn about your enemy."

"Why do you hate them, anyway? Muggles?" Snape asked as Regulus folded his arms.

"That's easy, Severus," Regulus explained as he stared back at Snape. "You've seen what Muggles can do and how dangerous they are. Do you know that they outnumber us, four thousand, maybe even five thousand to one? That number has been growing at a startling pace ever since this century began. That number is going to grow larger and larger until one day, we would become the next extinct species on the list of species that Muggles have eliminated since the dawn of man. Muggles have destroyed the world many times over, even gone to war with themselves and killed many of their kind in such large numbers that even the Dark Lord appears to be a mere novice at killing them. Muggles are cruel, Severus, especially to people different from them. What do you think is going to happen when Muggles, one day, discover of our existence on a global scale? Do you think they're going to welcome us with open arms? Or have you forgotten the witch trials?"

Snape cringed at the thought. The witch trials had been carried out all over the world and many of the people executed weren't even wizards or witches.

"We're the magical ones, Sev. Even the weakest of us is more powerful than the strongest of Muggles. And yet we hide and cower in shadows, while they get to rule the world. We're allowing these inferior creatures to rule while we take a backseat."

"You're dehumanising them, by calling them creatures, Regulus," Snape said as Regulus glared at him.

"Good. Good! They're no different from animals in the way they behave, kill, and breed. And we, Severus, we are worlds apart from them!"

"How?"

"Look at our education system. Or our career paths. Our knowledge. Our world. We even have books called Martin Miggs the Mad Muggle! There are places in our world that Muggles can visit, things in our world that Muggles can't do. That, in itself, shows you that we ourselves view Muggles as being outside our status quo because they are!"

"Many of those aspects of a Muggle life are similar to that of ours." Snape countered.

"You think just because we share similar elements of society, that we should group ourselves with them? Don't be so naïve, Severus! Ants live in colonies and each ant has a job to do as well. So do bees. Even apes, the so-called descendent of Muggles, have their own societal obligations. Yet we don't group them together with us, do we?"

"Because they're aren't human!" Snape replied hotly. "You're missing the point here, Regulus. The only difference between Muggles and us is that they have no magical powers. It is the only difference."

"It makes all the difference in the world!" Regulus whispered fiercely as he glanced up to see if Madam Pince was checking up on them. "Magic is our identity, Severus. Who we are! What we live by! It is everything! Magic is everything! Blood is everything!"

"If magic is everything, then why do you hate Muggleborns? They're magical, aren't they?" Snape snapped as he glared at Regulus.

"Tell me, Severus," Regulus said as he took a moment to compose himself. "Do you know how Muggles are destroying our world? Unlike animals which the Muggles have eliminated through deforestation, global warming, pollution and other forms of extermination, they've eliminated us through the most basic of Muggle needs. Breeding. Look at which group amongst us, the Purebloods, the Half-bloods, and the Muggleborns have caused the most Squibs? Every time a wizard or witch mates with a Muggle, the magic in the blood becomes tainted with ordinary blood, causing the magic to disappear, sometimes even over generations."

"I thought you Death Eaters say that Muggleborns steal magic from other wizards and witches?" Snape remarked.

"I admit some of my compatriots are less level-headed than I want them to be but it doesn't diverge from the core of the argument." Regulus drawled as he shifted in his seat. " The mating of Muggles and wizards is an abomination, an unholy union that spits on our very foundation. It's like making love to an animal, Severus. And what is worse is that the more we promote this, the more our kind dies. Sooner or later, there might come a world where magic no longer exists due to the changes in our blood. I come from the family of the Sacred Twenty-Eight and my family works hard to preserve our magic."

"Through incest which is an abomination in itself. And don't the Blacks have Squibs in their bloodline?"

"The unfortunate product of incest, I'm afraid," Regulus said as he smirked at Snape. "But at least our Squibs are the exception to the rule and not the rule itself. If I have to choose between mating with a Muggle and incest, I pick the latter which is the lesser of two evils."

"And you really believe all of this?" Snape said as he shook his head.

"As did you, Severus," Regulus exclaimed as Snape looked up to see Regulus smirking at him. "Or did Lucius exaggerate about you?"

Severus was taken aback. He hadn't expected that Regulus would know of his past and yet, it didn't deter him. "My thoughts about pureblood supremacy was born out of hatred, Regulus. For my dad who mistreated me."

"And wouldn't it better if instead of that happening, we could control them like Grindelwald wanted? To rule over Muggles for the greater good."

"And give power to a madman? I rather take my chances with the Muggles."

"Suit yourself, Sev. Yours was born out of hatred and mine born out of logic. To me, it's simple. We either eliminate them or they eliminate us. And Muggle-borns, despite their magic, are a product of wrongful mating. We need to eliminate them as well to ensure a greater future for ourselves. The less Muggle blood in the world, the better."

Snape sighed. He knew of the old pureblood argument that Regulus had just mentioned. He recalled the days when he harboured such ill will towards his father that such thoughts brought him joy, their reasoning appeared to be sound. But Snape knew better. He had seen after all, what happens when a bad person was given power. Snape shuddered at the thought of what a powerful Voldemort could do.

"Regulus, trust me. I know that right now, your reasoning seems logical and yet, you need to understand how wrong it all is. If that is your reasoning, the preservation of our kind, that ask yourself of the actions you have to take. Murder? Genocide? If we consider ourselves to be the better than Muggles, shouldn't we act accordingly as well? Muggles can be cruel but I've seen some of them do amazing things. Most of them are kind and gentle."

"This isn't a fairy-tale, Regulus."

"No, it's not," Snape said firmly. "But it isn't a nightmare either. Not the one you're trying to make it to be. If we assume the worst about each other, who's to say we won't all go extinct? You think You-know-who is rallying all of you towards a better future? Your master is a psychopath who only craves power. Sooner or later, he will turn on you as well."

"Maybe, but I rather take my chances with him," Regulus said.

"So you're prepared to kill innocent lives if he asked you too?" Snape said as Regulus grew stiff. Snape could sense a feeling of uneasiness with Regulus, noting that for the first time Regulus lacked the bravado and confidence that he had displayed since he first met Snape.

"I do what is expected of me. For the greater good." Regulus said as he glared at Snape. "We should get back to our assignment."

"One last question, then."

"Make it quick."

"If there was an alternative to solving the problem that you so believe exists besides killing for a mass murderer, would you do it?"

"There is no other alternative," Regulus spoke. "It is the right thing to do, even if it does involve evil things. I'm not a bad person, Severus. I just do what is necessary."

"That's what all dark people say when they want to justify murder instead of looking for other solutions"

"Governments commit murder on a mass scale all the time when they go to war," Regulus said. "Just because our cause is a rebellion doesn't make us any different from those in power. In fact, once we are in power, all that was sacrificed would be worth it. History is written by the winners, is it not?"

"It is." Severus agreed before shaking his head. "But nevertheless, there are alternatives to what you want and yet you choose such dark paths like murder and terrorism," Severus replied as he went back to his work. "Can't blame you though. It's hard to see the light when you've been living in darkness." As Snape went back to researching on Grindelwald, he snuck a glance at Regulus who tried to mask, but to no avail, a slightly stricken expression on his face.

…..

"So how are things going with my beloved brother?" Sirius asked as he and Snape walked towards the tower. They had followed James to the Headmaster office before Dumbledore had ushered them away.

"Terrible," Snape said as he shook his head. "All Regulus does is talk about his pureblood beliefs and how Grindelwald was a godsend."

"I told you, mate," Sirius said as he winked at a couple of fifth-year Hufflepuffs who giggled and blushed as they waved at him. "Reg's always been like that. I even tried to help him when we were younger but he kept pushing me away. Dad and Mum had influenced him too much. Believe me, you have a better chance joining the Quidditch team than Regulus has at turning good. He's the poster child for the Black Family pureblood legacy while I'm the black sheep. His loss, though. Could have stayed in our awesome, new flat."

"You got one?" Snape asked as Sirius shook his head.

"Not yet. But I'll keep looking. We'll probably have better luck once the term is over."

"Good," Snape said as they turned the corner. "Doesn't matter about the size. We can always do an Enlargement Charm on it."

"Is that legal?" Sirius asked. Snape shrugged his shoulders.

"Doesn't matter? We no longer have the Trace. We can do whatever we want."

"Hah!" Sirius yelled as he clapped Snape on the back. "Spoken like a true Marauder."

Snape felt a growling in his stomach. "I'm starving."

"Dinner's not in a few hours. Can you hold it?" Sirius asked as Snape shook his head.

"No, I'm going down to the kitchens. Going to see if the house-elves can give me a Treacle Tart or something." Snape said as he headed towards the stairs.

"Get me one as well!" Sirius shouted as Snape nodded his head before making his way down to the kitchens. Turning the corner, Snape saw Regulus crouched down next to a house-elf with his wand pointed towards the elf. Brandishing his wand, Snape stomped towards Regulus.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Snape cried angrily as Regulus jumped slightly upon hearing Snape's voice while lowering his wand. Turning around, a look of surprise came over Regulus before he rolled his eyes at Snape.

"Oh, it's you," Regulus said before turning towards the house elf and raising his wand once more.

"STOP! I won't let you hurt him." Snape spoke.

Ignoring Snape, Regulus uttered a spell as he pointed his wand on the house elf's worn-down and torn cloth. Snape watched as the tears in the cloth started to stitch themselves up.

"Many thanks, Mister Black." The elf cried before running off towards the kitchen. Snape stared at Regulus who was smiling as he watched the departing elf.

"You helped him?" Snape cried in surprise as Regulus turned around to face him.

"Of course. He had a torn cloth which was breaking at the seams." Regulus said as he narrowed his eyes at Snape. "You're not going to report me, are you?"

"For what?"

"Using magic outside of class," Regulus said, before turning on his heels to walk in the opposite direction.

"Wait!" Snape cried as he caught up with Regulus. "What was that?"

"What was what?" Regulus asked impatiently.

"Why were you helping that elf?" Snape asked as Regulus cocked his eyebrow at him.

"Because he needed help?"

"But…you're a Slytherin?"

"So?" Regulus said as he tapped his foot impatiently. "Or am I not supposed to help? I'm confused. I thought you would be applauding me for doing such a good deed."

"That's exactly it," Snape said as Regulus shook his head slightly.

"Wow. And you say I'm biased and a bigot, yet you judge us all the same. So I'm nice to elves. So what?"

"Well," Snape said hastily as he tried to come to terms with what he just witnessed. "You support You-know-who, don't you? Well, your master doesn't like magical creatures either. He thinks them to be below us and that they do not matter."

"Well, that's up to him, isn't it?" Regulus said as he continued to walk ahead. "As for myself, I do admire the elves. They're really selfless and I respect someone who works hard. Unlike Gryffindors, who see themselves as being the best of the best and are woefully ignorant of hard work."

"I don't get it. You said you support You-know-who and yet you do something like this? What are you, some kind of bipolar Death Eater?" Snape asked as Regulus gave a mirthless laugh.

"Don't presume to know me, Severus," Regulus said as he turn to walk away. Before he could do so, Regulus felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Let me go." Regulus snapped.

"Not until you explain yourself."

"I've already did."

"Well, it doesn't make sense to me," Snape said as he looked at Regulus. Regulus gave a loud sigh before pulling himself away.

"I was raised by my house-elf, Kreacher," Regulus said as he averted his gaze away from Snape. "Kreacher was like a parent to me. Always cleaned up after me. Took care of me whenever my parents didn't. When Sirius left, Kreacher was the one I talked to. Look, just because I don't like Muggles and…Muggleborns doesn't mean I hate all magical creatures. I never saw them as being below us or having the need for such hierarchies."

"You're fond of him, this Kreacher," Snape stated as Regulus nodded his head. "Yes, I am. Now unless you want to get on my bad side, perhaps get out of my way so I can get ready for Quidditch practice. If not, I will be late and you know how I feel about that."

Snape stepped out of his way, allowing Regulus to pass by. As Regulus disappeared around the corridor, Snape couldn't help but stare at the Slytherin with thoughts about how there was more than meets the eye when it came to Regulus Black.

…..

Over the course of the next few months, Snape continued to pursue Regulus in any way he can. He had made it his personal mission to help Regulus from his path. He watched as Regulus snuck away from the Quidditch locker room, grumbling as he tried to nurse his bruised arm. Gryffindor and Slytherin had just completed their match and it was as intense and violent as their rivalry had ever been. James had caught the Snitch but not before Sirius had aimed a Bludger towards his younger brother. While everyone celebrated and mingled on the pitch, Severus had snuck away, his attention focused on the Slytherin Seeker.

"Need help?" Snape said as Regulus turned around in shock before glaring intensely at him.

"Not from you!" Regulus growled. "Leave me alone. Why don't you go to my arse of a brother and celebrate with the rest of your lot?!"

Snape said nothing as he raised his wand. Uttering a spell, Regulus watched as his bruises disappeared with his arm feeling better than it was before.

"You're good with healing spells. I was going to put some Essence on it." Regulus said as he collapsed on a nearby bench.

"Well, I've had experience with bruises before," Snape said as he gave a small smile to Regulus who looked shocked before averting his gaze.

"Well, don't expect me to thank you. I didn't ask for your help."

"I'm curious," Snape said as he looked at Regulus. "Why didn't you go with the rest of your team? I saw them walking back towards the castle."

"Needed some time by myself," Regulus muttered as he stretched his recently healed arm.

"Well, you did try your best. I'm sure they won't be too mad at you."

Regulus gave a derisive laugh before looking incredulously at Snape.

"Is that what Gryffindor teaches you? Do your best, that's all that matters? This is Slytherin, in case you've forgotten. We're known for our ambition. Failure is not an option. The only thing going for me is that I was beaten by another Pureblood. Salazar only knows what will happen if your Seeker was a Mudblood!"

Snape cringed at the word. He could feel his anger rising. Instead of letting his temper get the better of him, Snape wrestled with his emotions as he worked on composing himself. His expressions, however, did not go unnoticed.

"Oh, does it affect you to hear it? Mudblood?" Regulus sneered as he stood up. "Good! Now stop bothering me and leave me alone. I wish to be alone anyways." Regulus walked away from Snape as he stepped onto the Hogwarts grounds. Not wanting to give in so easily, Snape pursued him.

"Fuck, Snape! Leave me alone!" Regulus roared at the approaching Snape.

"I'm going to the castle anyway. Might as well tag along." Snape said as Regulus looked to muster yet another insult before grumbling silently to himself. They walked in silence as Snape took another look at Regulus. Despite what James and Sirius had claimed, Regulus looked nothing like the menacing figures of Avery and Mulciber. Instead, Snape felt drawn towards the wizard, his sympathy rising within.

"You know I think it's ironic you hate Muggleborns, seeing that we're all descendants of one," Snape said as Regulus stopped in his tracks.

"What?"

"Think about it, Regulus. Muggles have been around longer than wizards, at least that's what all the experts claim. In doing so, that means that the first wizard or witch had to be born from Muggles making him or her Muggleborn."

"Interesting thought. Anything else?" Regulus said as he crossed his arms.

"We all probably descended from half-bloods as well. I mean, it's not like the wizards or witches that came afterwards all married each other. Most would have married Muggles since like you said, they outnumber us four thousand to one."

"What's your point?"

"No point. Just wanting to make conversation."

"Well, converse somewhere else, why don't you?" Regulus spat as he continued to walk. "Leave me alone."

He and Snape continued to walk without saying a word. All of a sudden, Regulus chose to break the silence.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?" Snape asked.

"Getting close to me? Are you trying to change me because rest assured, there's nothing to change. This is who I am, Severus." Regulus responded as they reached the Entrance Hall.

"Because you're on a dark path and I want to help you," Snape said as Regulus turned to look at him with curiosity.

"Why? Why get close to me? Did Sirius put you up to this? Or James? Are you spying on me, on us?!" Regulus demanded as he advanced upon Snape. Snape rolled his eyes as he motioned towards an isolated part of a corridor. Regulus followed him tentatively as Snape could see his hand grasping his wand firmly.

"Take a look at this," Snape said as he pulled out a copy of the Daily Prophet. On the front page were gruesome images of bodies littered on the ground, some of which were badly burnt.

"This is what you're going to have to do for him. Killing innocent lives." Snape said as he noted Regulus looking uneasy. "And some of these weren't even Muggleborn or Muggles. They were half-bloods. Your Lord won't discriminate against anyone if he comes to power. He feels no love towards anything."

"Shut up," Regulus said as he threw the paper back fiercely at Snape. In doing so, a tiny photograph flew out from his robe.

"Regulus, if you're not going to think about the Muggles, then at least consider creatures like your beloved Kreacher," Snape spoke as Regulus continued to glare at him. "You think your Lord will spare the lives of these magical creatures if he ascends to power? He considers such creatures to be disposable. Show them mercy, perhaps? He despises them as much as he despises Muggles and Muggleborns, maybe even more so. Kreacher would not be safe. He would live his life in fear. He will destroy them, Regulus. He will destroy our world."

"Kreacher would be safe under me," Regulus spoke up at last. "I will keep him safe."

"For how long? Regulus, you're no Death Eater. You may have pureblood supremacist thoughts but you're not a bad person, let alone an evil one. Don't become like them. You don't have to live in fear anymore, Regulus. You're always welcome with us, especially if I give you my blessing." Snape said as Regulus looked to the ground, shaking his head.

"Stop trying to change someone who doesn't want to be changed, Snape. I may not agree with anything the Dark Lord does but it doesn't mean I will choose your side which may seem like a better prospect but it's flawed in so many ways."

"And Voldemort's one isn't?" Snape snapped as Regulus gasped out loud before grabbing Snape by his collar.

"Don't you DARE say his name!" Regulus growled angrily at Snape.

"Oh, does it affect you to hear it? Voldemort? Good!" Severus replied in anger as he pushed Regulus off his robes. "You think Voldemort has good intentions for the magical community? You think he's going to stop at just ruling over Muggles? He's going to rule over everyone! He's going to kill and destroy our way of life! Don't pretend that Voldemort does what he does for some righteous agenda! He only has one goal and everyone knows it. To achieve immortality."

"He's going to fail." Regulus whispered as he looked away from Snape. "No one can achieve immortality"

"Not unless he uses the Dark Arts and we both know just how deep he needs to sink in order to achieve that," Snape said as he stared at Regulus. "Imagine someone like Voldemort ruling over us forever. There would be no need for hell. We would already be there. Forever."

Snape watched as Regulus allowed the thought to sink in as he walked away from Snape, his face turning paler by the second.

….

"So Binns gave you both an Outstanding? Congratulations." Mary squealed as Snape nodded his head. Mary tiptoed as she leaned in to give Snape a peck on his cheek. Snape blushed as he squeezed her hand, the pair walking towards the Great Hall. It was time for the End of Term feast once again and Snape and Mary had decided to take a walk before heading for the feast. Unlike previous years, the End of Term Feast was held the night before as the Hogwarts Express had been alerted to take them all away at the break of dawn. These were the new security measures imposed by the Ministry in the wake of attacks, all of which seemed to take place in the late afternoon and evening. As they passed by the stairs of the Astronomy Tower, Snape and Mary noticed a familiar figure ascending the stairs.

"You go ahead, Mary. There's something I have to do. I'll join you soon enough." Snape said. Mary looked up at the figure of Regulus Black climbing up the stairs. Giving her boyfriend an understanding smile as well as a kiss on the lips, Mary headed towards the Great Hall while Snape began to climb up the stairs.

The first thing he noticed was that Regulus was seated at the exact same ledge that he and Alice sat the first time they were alone. Snape recalled the painful memories of that night, how he admitted to Alice on him being besotted with Lily only for Alice to crush him with the harsh truth that she revealed. Yet, though he thought it nothing more than it being unnecessary and painful, Snape had grown to appreciate the truth. It had freed him from a life of obsession and now with Mary, Snape was finally happy. As he approached Regulus, it had dawned on Snape that he might, ironically, have to reveal some hard truths himself though if history were to repeat itself, Regulus might be grateful for it one day.

"Hey, Regulus," Snape said, causing Regulus to jump in the air.

"Fuck, Snape! Stop doing that!" Regulus yelled as he fumbled about the Firewhiskey bottle that Snape only now had noticed.

"What do you want?" Regulus said as he turned his attention towards the darkening sky as dusk began to settle on the horizon. Snape could see the vast amount of trees, innocent as they were in the daylight, looking menacing and intimidating as they swayed angrily in the wind, making the Forbidden Forest a truly malevolent place to be lost in. The night sky, however, juxtapose the bottom half of the landscape as the stars appeared to be in abundance as they twinkled all across the night sky. Despite the strong winds, it was a reasonably clear sky with a few dark clouds floating about.

"I wanted to see if you're okay," Snape said as he sat next to Regulus.

"I'm fine," Regulus replied in a resigned tone as he took a swig of Firewhiskey before passing the bottle over towards Snape. Snape accepted it gratefully as the pair of them sat there in silence, listening instead to the soft howling of the wind and swishing sounds from the flapping trees.

"Good job on our essay, by the way," Snape said as Regulus snorted. They had both presented their opinions in the paper, Snape with one foot and Regulus with the other. It was the only Outstanding in the class as Binns nodded approvingly as he gave out words of praise towards the pair. While James and the others congratulated Snape, Snape could see Regulus looking at him curiously as the other Slytherins said nothing towards him.

"I'm a Slytherin. We're expected to do well." Regulus whispered. "That's my life for you, Snape. Expectations. Expectations. Expectations."

"Like continuing your family's legacy?" Snape asked as a faint smile appeared on Regulus's lips.

"It wasn't supposed to be me. It was supposed to be Sirius. He's my elder brother and would have been the heir apparent. But Sirius was always a rebel, even as a child. He would disobey my parents so many times and often fought with them. So they turned to me. To mould me into the perfect version of what is expected of a Black."

Snape said nothing as he continued to listen intently to Regulus.

"Ever since I was young, all that was expected of me was to follow the traditions of the Black Family. Go to Hogwarts and join Slytherin. Work hard and excel in everything I do. I did it all, Severus, even made it to the Slytherin team as Seeker. A member of the elite Slug Club. I did everything that was expected of me because I understood what they expected of me. Do you know what that is, Severus?"

Snape shook his head in response.

"Loyalty," Regulus said with a sigh. "Loyalty to my family, my tradition, my blood. I was considered to be the better son, be everything that Sirius was not. Did you know that we were close once, Sirius and I, a long time ago? But that's all in the past, Severus. He hates me now as he should. We're as different as can be."

"Sirius doesn't hate you," Snape said quietly though his heart felt the statement was more of a lie than the truth. Despite Sirius's sad reactions towards his brother and the fate that Regulus chose, Sirius had hardly shown any affection towards his younger brother whatsoever despite Snape urging him to. Regulus cleared his throat as he looked at Severus.

"Do you want to know something interesting? The difference between me and the Dark Lord or Grindelwald is simply the way we do things. You've spend weeks trying to convince me to drop what you presume to be pureblood bigotry and yet, still, even now, even when you showed me the pictures of the dead, I still stand by my beliefs."

"So you think Muggleborns and Muggles deserve to die?" Snape said angrily as Regulus shook his head.

"No. I believe that we should preserve our blood by keeping to the original families. I believe in Hogwarts for purebloods and half-bloods. I believe action is necessary but not murder. Or killings. Or the spilling of blood. There are other ways, I suppose. Like rallies."

Snape thought for a moment. "I suppose that's a start. At least you're not killing anyone."

Regulus sighed. "He's going to win, you know. The Dark Lord. Dumbledore doesn't stand a chance."

"Dumbledore is the most powerful wizard in the world," Snape said with pride as Regulus gave him a bittersweet smile.

"I like your optimism. But Dumbledore is old and eventually, death will come for him as it will for my Lord. Let's not forget that the Dark Lord is trying to seek a way to become immortal. If that's the case, Merlin help us all."

Taking a final swig, Regulus finished the bottle before throwing it against the wall. Snape flinched as he heard the glass breaking as it smashed against the hard concrete with pieces of it laying across the floor.

"Reparo" Regulus whispered as he pointed his wand at the bottle. "Not going to turn me in, Severus? I did use magic outside of class." Regulus said as he grinned cheekily at Snape who shook his head.

"I have to go soon, Snape. My Portkey is waiting for me."

"Portkey?" Snape said, looking confused. "You're not taking the train?"

"No, my mother has summoned me to Malfoy Manor. She's arranged for a Portkey with Slughorn and Dumbledore. She needs me there immediately to be prepared." Regulus spoke as he placed his hands on his back while staring out into the night.

"Prepared for what?" Snape asked.

"My birthday. I'm turning sixteen within the week." Regulus said softly as Snape looked at him curiously before recalling what Sirius had said about Regulus on New Year's Day.

 _Says getting the Dark Mark would be the perfect birthday gift_

"Regulus," Snape spoke as he stood on his feet. He walked over to Regulus before placing a hand on his back. "Are you…are they going to…initiate you?" Regulus said nothing as he stared determinedly out into the night. Snape noted that his stance was akin to a soldier who stood attentively as he awaited his fate.

"Regulus, you don't have to do this."

"You don't get it, do you, Severus?" Regulus whispered as he shook his head. "It's too late. At least this way, I get to be on the winning side."

"It's never too late." Snape pleaded as he looked at Regulus.

"I'm a good son. And I am loyal." Regulus said as he stared at Snape. "I do what is expected of me."

"Come with us. James, Sirius and I can give you protection." Snape insisted. "Even Dumbledore can help you!"

"Help me?!" Regulus snapped as he glared at Snape. "You think they would help me? My brother hates me just as much as James. Even if I were to defect to your side, for some insane reason, you think anyone will think of me any differently? I am a Black. I was in the company of Death Eaters and my Dark Lord. I will forever be judged for that, no matter how hard you try to convince me otherwise. War is simple. There's your side and there's mine. And I've chosen mine."

"You are not my enemy, Regulus. You're not a monster." Snape said firmly as he stood his ground.

"Not yet. But we will be on opposing sides soon enough, Severus. This is the last time you will see me, partner. I won't be going back to Hogwarts."

"Regulus, please," Snape begged. For a moment, he could see uncertainty etched upon the light-skinned face of Regulus before it was replaced with a stoic look of determination. Snape watched as a single tear streaked down Regulus's face.

"I'm sorry, Severus."

With that, Regulus reached into his pocket and pulled out a familiar coin, its unmistakeable flash of gold shining in the moonlight. Walking over to the ledge, he threw it as far as it could as Snape watched as the Galleon disappeared into the dark abyss below. As Snape watched the coin fall, so too did his hopes of having reached Regulus Black.

…

"Galleon for your thoughts?"

Snape rose from his bed as he turned to see Lily smiling at him.

"Sorry?"

"You've been staring at that in your hand for some time now," Lily said as she approached to sit beside him. Seated on the bed, Snape could see his packed suitcases on the side of his bed.

"Is it time for us to leave yet?"

"Not quite," Lily said as she gazed outside the window. "The others are taking one last fly in the grounds."

"You didn't join them?" Snape asked as Lily shook her head. "I'm not much of a flier."

"Me neither," Snape said as he pocketed the Galleon inside his robes.

"You okay?" Lily asked as Snape shook his head. "Is it Regulus?"

Snape gave a loud sigh. "I really thought I could reach him. Convince him to join us."

"It's not your fault, Severus," Lily said gently as she squeezed his hand. "You did the best you could. Sometimes, people are too far gone in their ways that no matter how hard we try, we can't pull them back."

"I know. Just disappointed, I guess." Snape said as Lily smiled at him.

"I'm proud of you, Sev. For trying."

"I'm only following what you said to James on New Year's," Snape said as he beamed back at Lily. "How are you and James anyway?"

"We're good for now. It's been a hard few months on our relationship." Lily sighed as she tied her red hair into a ponytail.

"James is a good guy, despite his rather…conventional beliefs." Snape snickered, as he tried to think of a word to describe his best friend in a good light. "He's going to make you really happy, one day. Just like me and Mary."

"You really think so?" Lily said as Snape took her hand in his.

"I really do," Snape said as he gave Lily a smile in which she returned. "What?" Snape asked as he noticed Lily staring at him strangely for a bit.

"It's just you've really changed, Sev. No, wait. Hear me out!" Lily said as Snape opened his mouth to protest. "Do you recall back in our first year? How you were? You were constantly so depressed all the time and you always, always followed me around like a puppy.."

"I did not!" Snape yelled though a smile formed on his face as Lily giggled at his expression.

"…you did too! And look at you now! Don't think I forgot how you used to tell me about joining Slytherin when I was younger? Or about how you tried to hide your own prejudices?"

"You knew about that?" Snape whispered as Lily nodded.

"Of course, I knew! And yet here you are, trying to help a boy you feel has lost his way. Fighting for the right causes. Getting a girlfriend." Lily said as she nudged him playfully. "And…in case you haven't noticed, you just told me to give James a chance. The old you would have told me to dump his arse!"

"Hey!" Snape protested. "In my defence, those other guys you dated were prats. James, on the other hand, is a really good guy."

"What I am saying, Sev is that…" Lily said as she looked at him with her piercing, green eyes. "That you shouldn't lose hope. After all, you've been through, you've still managed to turn your life around. Who knows? Maybe Regulus would too, one day."

"Even if he becomes a Death Eater?"

"Even then," Lily said as she ran her fingers through his hair. "Maybe we can't see it now but who knows? You reaching out to Regulus might have some great consequences in the future. Just don't lose hope."

Snape beamed at Lily as he looked out the window towards the golden sun that had just risen in the distance.

"Hey, did I ever tell you the starfish story my mother once told me?" Snape said.

"What starfish story?" Lily said. Before she could explain, the door to the dormitory burst open and in came Sirius, Remus, Peter, and James.

"Good, you guys are here!" James panted as he turned towards Lily. "Could you go get the rest of the girls and meet us at Dumbledore's office? I'm going to go get Frank." James said as he disappeared back down the common room with Lily behind him.

"What's all this about Dumbledore wanting to meet us?" Snape asked the rest of the boys.

"I have no idea," Sirius said as he shrugged his shoulders. "James only said something about joining a group."

…

" _Mother, what's the starfish story?" Snape asked as he chewed on his freshly-baked cookie. His father was snoring on the armchair in the corner while his mother's eyes were glued to the television screen as the two of them watched as the reporter talked about the two Muggles who were about to step on the moon. Eileen turned to her son and smiled._

…

Regulus looked down on the Dark Mark on his arm. He shuddered slightly at the sight of the black, winding serpent on his arm.

"Admiring it, I see?" Lucius Malfoy chuckled as he entered the room. They were in the library of Malfoy Manor where Regulus noted the vast amount of books upon the shelves that surrounded the room.

….

" _Well, once upon a time, a man went to a beach and noticed there were many starfishes that were stuck on the beach due to a large storm the day before. He also notice a young boy who was walking down the beach. The boy was picking up starfish after starfish and started throwing them back into the sea. He wanted to save them if not the hot sun will dry out the starfish and kill it._

… _._

"Bella is still beside herself with joy," Lucius said as he poked around at the fireplace while Regulus sat on the armchair in front of it. "Now there are two Blacks inside our inner circle."

"What should I do now?" Regulus asked as Lucius reached inside a silver box on top the mantelpiece. Regulus could see Floo Powder in his hand.

"Now you just remain here and wait for further instructions," Lucius replied as he turned to smile at Regulus. "The Dark Lord is travelling at the moment and he will call for you, soon enough."

….

" _How many starfishes were there?" Snape asked as he kept his eyes on the screen. He could see the space shuttle door open although the Muggles were not visible yet._

… _._

"You can entertain yourself here, well enough. Take a gander at a book or two." Lucius said.

"You sure do have a lot of books here," Regulus answered as he stood up to walk around the room, admiring every inch of it.

"The largest collection of magical books in the Dark Arts from all over the world," Lucius said proudly as he admired his collection. "It was my great-grandfather who started this collection. I daresay you will find books here that you won't find anywhere else, not even in the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts Library."

"Have you read them all?" Regulus said as he approached one that was in a translucent display at the corner of the room. The book, which had a dark grey cover, looked old and battered. Regulus slowly approached the display, wondering what made this book so special.

…..

" _Too many," Eileen replied as she smiled at her son. "So the man goes up to the boy and tells him, "There are tens of thousands of starfishes here. You can't possibly pick them all. I'm afraid you won't make a difference."_

… _.._

"Not really, no. I haven't the time." Lucius said before realising that Regulus was approaching the display. "Stay away from that one. It has a powerful Shield charm on it."

"What is it?" Regulus asked curiously. Lucius merely shrugged his shoulders in response.

"No idea. The Dark Lord himself gave it to me for me to keep in my possession. He wouldn't say what it is, only that I should guard it with my life. The rest of the collection, however, are open to you. Feel free to do some reading. I have to go now." Lucius said before throwing the powder into the flames and disappearing off.

….

" _The boy looked sad. He realised that the man was right so he stopped picking up starfishes. Suddenly, a thought occurred to the boy and he began picking up starfish after starfish to throw them into the sea."_

…

Regulus walked around the room. He had recognised a few of the titles though many appeared unfamiliar to him. Selecting a shelf that seemed to hide itself at the back of the library, Regulus took a ladder to reach the highest shelf.

…

" _Why did he do that?" Snape asked as he watched one of the Muggles coming out of the shuttle._

…

"Hmmm…" Regulus said out loud as he pulled books from the shelves. "Secrets of Morgana. Herpo the Foul. Curses of Emeric… guess I should do some reading."

Regulus took the books as he made his way towards a large, oak table that was placed in the centre of the room. Pulling out a chair, Regulus placed the books on the table before collapsing in his seat.

…..

" _That's what the man thought as well. So the man asked the boy why he was doing it again since it won't make a difference. Instead of stopping, the boy picks up one starfish and throws it into the sea. "It makes a difference to that one!" said the boy. So moved by the boy's actions, the man begins to do the same and soon many people joined in until all the starfishes were thrown into the sea, saving them all."_

… _._

"Might as well start," Regulus said as he pulled the first book off the stack that he had taken. Turning the page over, Regulus turned to look at the watch on his arm. Realising that he had taken it off when looking at the Dark Mark, Regulus fished around in his pockets.

…..

" _Do you know what the moral of the story is, Sev?" Eileen asked as Snape shook his head. "It's that sometimes even when others say that it won't make a difference, even if a cause seems lost, we should never stop trying to do the right thing. For who knows, sometimes even the tiniest of actions can have the greatest of consequences."_

… _._

Pulling out all the items in his pockets, Regulus threw them on the table. He stared at the bunch of items ranging from his watch to torn pieces of paper and finally, to the small amount of coins he had carried with him. Regulus stared at the coins for a moment before picking up a Galleon.

…..

 _Snape turned his attention back to the television, a smile etched on his face. The Muggle was talking now as he took his first steps on the moon._

…

Turning the Galleon over, Regulus could see the familiar S engraving written on its side. Smiling to himself, Regulus pocketed the Galleon before turning back to his books.

" _That's one small step for…man, one giant leap for mankind."_

 **END FOR NOW**

 **A/N: I've always, always planned for Regulus to enter the story. Regulus Black has intrigued me as a character and I'm glad to put this two former Death Eaters in this chapter. Regulus and Snape's relationship is going to be CRUCIAL to the plot development of this story and it will be the first domino that leads to a wide chain of events.**

 **I would like to assure you that if James or Sirius or Lily appears to be a little OOC in this chapter, it is only because I'm assuming given their young age as well as the changes to canon that they would behave in such a manner but I do apologise if I took things too far. Had to stretch them out a bit.**

 **Lastly, my apologies for putting romance as a secondary genre for this chapter. I hope I did just enough to keep you all guessing with Snape's interaction with Alice, Mary and Lily. Until next time, please review, favourite and follow if you like. Thank you!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you for all the lovely reviews! Please do keep them coming. I was going to post this in another three days but my eagerness for your reviews kept pushing me forward. Thank you for that as well as those who PM me. I appreciate you all!**

 **This chapter…was not easy to write and as you read the first part, you will know why. I've tried to write it differently but each one changed the plot of what I wanted too much so I decided to just stick to what I originally intended. This chapter is the longest I've written so far and please forgive me if there are too many grammatical or formatting errors.**

 **IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a FLASHBACK chapter in case anyone is confused. If you are new to this story, stop and read the first four chapters otherwise you might not get the gist of this one. Other than that, thank you and please review if you can. Love you guys.**

 **Disclaimer: I own not a single property of HP as all of it belongs to Robert Galbraith.**

 **The Importance of Being Snape**

" _It's real for us. Not for her." – Severus Snape, The Prince's Tale_

 **Chapter 5**

 _1978_

 _There it was._

Snape touched his face, surprised to feel that it was drier than he expected. Perhaps it was because he had cried his eyes out the night before and today, he no longer had any tears to give. It wasn't a problem though, as the day had been pouring rain and Snape could feel the raindrops pelting on his face, disguised as tears in rain. Snape reached down to touch the white marble slab of the tomb. It felt cold, like all the warmth in the world had disappeared upon his touch. The tomb itself, however, was grandiose as it was made with beautiful, white tiles. There was no cross on the tomb, for she was not religious, though her name, as well as the years she lived, was crafted on top of it. Coming from a rich, Pureblood family, Snape did not expect anything less though he knew that she would have much to say about it if she were still alive. Snape stood up as he took in the sight before him. The Graveyard of the Fallen was one of the few wizarding cemeteries still standing around Britain. Around him, Snape could see tombs of all kinds surrounding him as he took in the fresh scent of grass as the rain dripped off its blades.

"Severus?"

Snape turned around to see her tear-stricken face as the small witch with puffy red eyes walked towards him and engulfed him in a tight embrace. Even with the warmth radiating from her clothes as well as her soft hands, Snape felt empty inside. A hollow soul with nothing left inside. As he smelt the lavender scent of her hair, Snape looked over her shoulder to see James and Sirius waving to him as they sat far away, giving the two friends some much-needed room though Snape could see their faces were sad as well.

"I'm so sorry, Severus." Lily choked on her tears as she pulled back to see his face. "I know how much she meant to you," Snape said nothing as stared into her emerald green eyes. "There were so many people at her funeral. She was loved, Snape, very much so." Lily spoke as she stared at the tomb.

"I know," Snape whispered as he touched the cold, white marble once more. "I'm sorry that I couldn't go…I just…I can't believe she's gone…."Snape trailed off as Lily pulled him into another tight hug. The rain kept pouring down as lightning and thunder burst through the sky. Snape pulled away from Lily as he sat by the tomb with Lily sitting next to him.

"There was so much that she wanted to do, you know. I know that." Snape whispered as Lily nodded her head. "How is this fair? How is any of this fair?"

"It's not, Sev," Lily whispered, though her voice was trembling. "It was never supposed to go like this."

"She was my best friend, Lily," Snape said as Lily's eyes widened slightly before she gave him a bittersweet smile. "Of course she was, Sev," Lily said as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Reaching into her robe, Lily pulled out a green book and placed it on the grave.

"Alice in Wonderland?" Snape blurted out as soon as he read the title. Lily nodded her head.

"It was her favourite book if I recall correctly," Lily said as Snape noted the title. "Mary helped me to buy a copy. I want to place it here if that's okay? She did love the Muggle life despite being a Pureblood." Lily said as Snape nodded his head. Gently, Lily placed her book amongst the pictures and photographs that many before her had laid. Snape could see his face smiling back on some of the photographs. _I was happy_ Snape thought as the voice inside his head spoke.

"I made that there," Lily said as she pointed to a small white angel that was perched on the tomb. "I know she's there now, in Heaven, watching all of us."

"Thank you, Lily. I'm sure she would appreciate all of this." Snape said though try as he might, he couldn't form a smile on his face. Staring at the tomb, Lily whispered a tiny prayer before walking away, letting Snape to his privacy. The rain seemed to have subsided though he could still feel droplets of water touching down from the heavens above. Inside him, the emptiness started to give way to a painful ache, one that was slowly spreading the longer Snape looked at the tomb. He could recall all his memories of her, though his time with her no matter how long would always be too short for him. He could recall her smile, her laugh, _everything._

As the memories of the past started to flood through his head, Snape felt his body trembling and shivering as the freezing winds continued to pierce through his coat and through his body. He touched his face. It felt wetter now, damp even as droplets of water streaked down his cheeks.

 _She's gone. She's gone. And she's never coming back_

As the pain pierced through his entire body, Snape knew as soon as he touched his face once more, that he could no longer fault the rain.

…

 _ **1977**_

"Merlin, the weather freaking hot today!" Alice cried out loud as she tugged on her dress. "Look, I'm completely sweating."

"Yes, I know," Snape said as he grinned at her. "You positively stink, Alice!" Snape cried as he held his nose, much to Alice's chagrin.

"Do you want me to hex you? Because I will hex you!" Alice growled as she glared at him, her wand grasped firmly in her hand.

"I know a way you can cool off," Snape said as he stared at her before standing up to pick a rock. Throwing it into the lake in front of them, Snape motioned to Alice who responded with a crude finger gesture.

"Don't you dare, Severus Snape! I just want to get out of these clothes. I hate wearing dresses!" Alice groaned as she tugged on her white dress. Snape chuckled as he threw another stone into the lake, his attempt at skipping the stone had failed. "Damn it!"

"You got to flick it, Sev," Alice said as she picked another stone before pulling her arm back and throwing the stone with her wrist moving seamlessly with her arm. Snape watched as the stone skipped twice on the surface of the lake before it stopped to sink. Alice had a triumphant expression her face as she raised her fist in the air.

"Beginner's luck," Snape grumbled before using his wand to move another stone across the lake, skipping it several times in the process.

"Just because you don't have the Trace on you, doesn't mean you have to show off!" Alice said as she shook her head at Snape. "Speaking of which, how was your Apparition test?"

"Passed it on the first attempt," Snape said out loud as Alice beamed at him with pride. Looking at Alice still struggling with her dress, Snape let out a chuckle as he stared at her. To say Alice wasn't beautiful would be a crime given how her looks with her brown curls and her slim figure was complemented perfectly by the white, lily dress that she had borrowed from Lily for the wedding.

"Shouldn't you be getting back to the wedding?" Snape asked as he checked his watch. Alice shook her head. "No, it's just mingling at this point. I doubt my parents even noticed I'm gone. Aunt Penelope's still fawning over her brother and what a beautiful ceremony it was. I still need to gag from the speech that the best man gave for the Grangers."

"What's wrong with the speech?" Snape asked as he admired the forest in which the two had Apparated to as soon as he checking his coin. The Protean Charm that Regulus had given Snape an idea as he created a few for communication purposes, giving one coin to Alice. Alice had needed to get away from the wedding and the pair of them settled on a nearby forest, whose trees and creatures, appeared friendlier than the ones in the Forbidden Forest surrounding Hogwarts. Though a slight pang of guilt had risen in Snape at the thought of Regulus, Snape pushed it down as he turned his attention towards Alice.

"It was alright until the best man started talking about soulmates." Alice scoffed as she cringed at the word.

"What's wrong with soulmates?" Snape asked as Alice looked at him incredulously.

"There's plenty wrong with it, especially at a wedding," Alice replied as Snape gave her a puzzled look. Seeing his expression, Alice sighed before bringing himself closer towards him. The citrus scent of her perfume made itself into Snape's nose as he took a slight whiff while Alice stared at him with her radiant blue eyes. _Never noticed that before_ Snape thought as he noted the colour of Alice's eyes.

"Sev, the idea behind soulmates is that a soulmate comes from an ancient idea about how we were all part of some four armed, four-legged, creature with two faces and that some God decided to punish us for whatever reason by splitting us, into two creatures, man and woman and that basically, we're all in some kind of misery until we find our other half. In a nutshell, we all have soulmates out there, people we believe are perfect for us. The feelings we feel for this person are so intense and despite all our efforts, we see ourselves as the perfect couple should we both fall in love."

"So what's wrong with that?" Snape asked as he stared at her.

"My last line is what's wrong with that," Alice exclaimed as she raised her hands. "Just…okay…listen to this," Alice said as she grabbed Snape's hands. He never noticed how smooth they were before.

"The best man said that when you meet your soulmate, you feel a wave of electricity rush through your body. Your heart beats faster and faster until it starts to skip its beat while all around your body, your nerves heat up. Then comes the emotion, a strong surge of happiness like you never felt before encompasses you in a way only love can with its warmth. All you want to do is care for this person, give the person everything she or he wants and you never want to lose that feeling. Like ever. It's a part of you now, maybe it always has been and to lose that would devastate you beyond belief."

"Sounds familiar," Snape replied as his thoughts turned to Lily. How, back when he was infatuated with her, the feeling of her closeness allowed him to feel like he was walking on air.

"You're thinking of Lily, aren't you?" Alice asked as her eyes narrowed on him. Snape nodded as Alice pulled her hands away.

"Exactly! See that's the problem! Most of the time, the people we see as our soulmates aren't the ones we get together with! Most of the time, it's because they don't see us as their soulmates and so we continue on to find that person who we can spend the rest of our lives with."

"So our soulmate is whomever we choose to spend our lives with," Snape remarked as he pondered about the thought. "Maybe our soulmate isn't who we feel we need but who actually want to be with us. You taught me that once, remember? How being loved is what I needed."

"Yes, it's just…" Alice said as she turned to face him. He could see her wrestling with a thought in her head.

"What?"

"I don't think I should tell you…"

"Alice!" Snape said as he playfully nudged her. "Tell me!"

Alice sighed before staring at him once more, a look of wariness on her face. "Fine! But it's only because sooner or later, you're going to hear about it and the more time you have to prepare, the better." Alice said before sighing once more. "Lily is going to break up with James."

"WHAT?!" Snape exclaimed out loud as Alice cringed under his tone before glaring at him. Composing himself, Snape gave Alice an apologetic look. "Sorry. It just took me by surprise. But why is she breaking up with him? I thought she loved him! I thought she said she would give him another chance after I told her too." Snape said hastily as thoughts flooded his head.

"Sev, relax!" Alice said as she grabbed his hand. "The break up might be temporary for all I know but, well, Lily said that she just can't deal with James right now especially with all the Order of the Phoenix stuff going on. Maybe it's because they progressed way too quickly in their relationship but whatever the reason, yes, Lily and James are going to break up."

"I see," Snape said as he averted his gaze away from her. His thoughts were racing now and his heart was pounding.

 _Lily Evans is single!_

Before he could allow the thought to sink in any further, a sharp pain jolted him back as he turned to see Alice glaring at him from the punch she had just thrown on his shoulder.

"Owww!" Snape cried out loud as Alice glared at him further.

"Don't think I don't know what you're thinking, Severus!" Alice cried as Snape gave her a puzzled look.

"What?!"

"You're thinking now that Lily is single, you want to go back to being her white knight all over again!" Alice said as she pointed an accusing finger at him.

"I was not!" Snape lied as he looked away. "I have a girlfriend, after all. I'm in love with Mary!"

 _Are you?_ a thought whispered through his head as Alice's expression began to soften.

"I'm sorry," Alice whispered as she gave Snape a hug. "I just don't want to see you get hurt over again. Or see Mary get hurt either. Besides, just because Lily broke up with James doesn't mean…

"…that she will have feelings for me." Snape finished Alice's sentence as he threw a rock into the lake. As he watched the rock sink to the bottom, so too did his thought as he buried once more the possibility of Lily ending up with him. "Don't worry, I had to learn that the hard way. Not going to do so, again."

"If anything, it's her loss," Alice spoke gently as Snape turned to her. "I mean, if Lily isn't blind, she could see that there's this really good guy who's smart and kind and handsome who likes her. But what's her loss is Mary's gain. You guys are really good together, Snape. Don't let that get away."

"I know," Snape said as he offered her a smile. "I still have some lingering thoughts in the closet. But don't tell Mary okay? Just let that stay secret between us."

"Course not," Alice said with a smile as she looked away. "Tell you what. Since you've revealed a secret of yours, I'm going to tell you mine as well." Alice sighed as she looked away. Snape waited patiently as he could see her struggling to say the words.

"I don't think Frank is my soulmate. That's the reason I brought it up." Alice whispered as Snape's eyes began to widen.

"Who's your soulmate then?" Snape asked as Alice turned to him. He could see her bottom lip trembling as she stood up.

"I can't say that for now."

"Tell me!" Snape insisted as Alice glared at him before grinning cheekily. "Nope." She cried as she skipped another stone on the lake.

"Tell me or I'll throw you in the lake," Snape said as he advanced upon her. Alice giggled before glaring at him.

"You wouldn't dare!"

"I'll do it!"

"I can't tell you now!"

"Then when?" Snape asked as Alice stared at him with a smile.

"Over my dead body."

"That can be arranged," Snape said as he scooped her up in his arms, despite her protests and threw her in the lake. Alice screamed as she landed in the water before standing up, water dripping off her dress as Snape broke out in laughter. "You said you wanted to cool off!"

"You are _so_ dead!" Alice cried as she chased after him. The two friends continued to play in the water, both casting spells as their laughter rose from the trees of the forest that circled them.

….

"This place?" Dorcas spoke as everyone wandered about the room. It was as dilapidated as it always was as Snape brushed away the dust that had accumulated on the floor. Paper was peeling from the walls as a plethora of stains littered about the room. The furniture had been smashed several times over with the windows boarded up. Snape turned to Remus who picked up a broken chair as he could see the pain in his eyes. The Shrieking Shack had been a place for Remus to undergo his werewolf transformations despite the potions he was given. Each Marauder had been there from time to time though Dorcas, being the newest member, had never been there herself, she knew of Lupin's condition as well. Snape smiled as Dorcas gave Lupin a hug while the rest of them turned to the two, redheaded individuals grinning back at them.

"The Shrieking Shack!" Fabian Prewitt cried out as he beamed at his protégés. Ever since James had informed them about the Order of the Phoenix, Snape had jumped on the chance to join. Fighting Voldemort side by side with James as well as the others was something he wanted to do though his enthusiasm was not met by others. Most of the group had been apprehensive and because of their reluctance, James had convinced them all that they should undergo training by members of the Order at the very least. Anyone was welcomed to leave should they want to. _Interim members_ Snape recalled James saying as each member was coerced into coming for this meeting.

"Here we are free to practice spells without any interference," Gideon spoke as he nodded at his twin while assessing the group. "Like James has told you all, we want you as members of the Order but we understand there are still some of you that are unsure if this is the path you want to take."

"We all want to fight Voldemort," Sirius said proudly as others nodded in agreement. Fabian gave a light chuckle as he exchanged looks with Gideon.

"Saying his name, that's bold. But being a member of the Order goes beyond just name-calling. It is a responsibility, a duty that cannot be taken lightly. Once you're in the Order, you're in it for life." Fabian spoke.

"Here, here!" Gideon exclaimed as he stared at the group. "How many of you here have ever been in a life-threatening situation? What should you do? Should you fight your way out or should you run? Use an offensive or defensive spell?"

"We know how to duel," James said confidently as he shared a look with the Marauders. Fabian, however, frowned upon hearing this.

"Ever had someone use the Imperius Curse on you, James? What if I used it and made you point your wand to one of your friends?"

"Or the Cruciatus curse?" Gideon added. "Or Merlin forbid, the Avada Kedavra Curse? Think you can avoid in time?"

"James has the best reflexes amongst all of us," Sirius said, coming to the defence of his friend.

"What about using those curses yourselves? Tell me, has anyone here ever killed someone?" Fabian asked the group. Snape noticed how some of them shifted uncomfortably while others, like himself, focused on other things in the room besides the two twins standing before them.

"We have," Gideon said darkly as he paced around the room, staring at each and every one of them. "Don't fool yourselves into thinking that it's like in those books or movies where killing comes easy. When you take someone's life, you're not just killing the person. You're removing the existence of that person from this world. That person, who was once an innocent baby, who grew up, had family and friends, maybe even a romantic partner, every experience, every moment, every second that he or she lives coming to an abrupt end, not in the hands of Nature or Fate or God but of you. You choose to end that person's life, thus preventing him or her from experiencing anything else in the world."

"He or she will no longer be able to love," Fabian added in a serious tone as he stared at them all. "He or she will no longer be allowed to redeem themselves. He or she will never have a family, never grow old, never watch what happens to the world and never experience anything further all because you chose to take that all away, leaving nothing behind."

"To kill someone, it will leave a lasting impression on your soul," Gideon said as he leaned against the wall. "Make no mistake. Joining the Order will require this of you someday. You will become a soldier of war and the losses you will experience will be substantial."

"Gideon and I have dedicated much to the Order. We're both single, in our thirties and we've been doing this ever since we were eighteen years old. It's not easy being an Order member and make no mistake, in war, there will be pain. Lots of it." Fabian said as he leaned next to his twin. Snape could see the uneasiness in the faces of his group and he knew that his expression surely said the same. The Order had sounded like a dream come true, joining the ranks of great wizards like Dumbledore to fight against evil yet there was a difference in hearing about the Order and actually joining it. Fabian and Gideon, soon realised this, as they watched each of the seventh-years exchanging looks of apprehension and worry. Fabian gave a chuckle as Gideon beamed in front of the group.

"Now don't look so sad!" Fabian cried as Gideon nodded. "We didn't mean to scare you all, we just wanted you all to be aware of what is expected from you! Now, not to worry, joining us means that you are willing to be a part of the group that takes down Voldemort and usher in a new age of peace and prosperity for the wizarding world! You're choosing to be heroes! But in the meantime, for those of you still worried about what is expected from you, do not fret. Gideon and I have some good news for you!"

"Not all members of the Order take part in missions so the chances that you have to use Unforgivable Curses, as deemed by the Ministry, is rare. Some of our members like Arabella Figg, who is a Squib, work as informants. Squibs are often ignored by Death Eaters and make good informants and spies for information." Gideon spoke.

"We all have roles in the Order," Fabian added as he beamed at the group. "Some of us work in our daily lives and only called upon when necessary. Other like ourselves, Fenwick, Moody, to mention a few, go about hunting bad guys on a full-time basis. Some of us work as suppliers, creating Potions for those mission-goers to use. We all have our individual strengths and the Order allows us to use that to our advantage."

"So not to worry!" Gideon said as he patted the shoulder of Peter, who had looked positively terrified throughout the talk. "We won't force any of you to do what you can't or don't want to do. We're not even going to ask you to join the Order if you don't want to."

"You mean, we can choose not to?" Mary squeaked as Snape squeezed her hand.

"Of course!" Fabian said as he smiled at her. "But just because you're not a member of the Order, doesn't mean you can't help out. We have many subsidiaries of the Order as well, people who are not in the Order but help us out whenever they can."

"In fact, the person we've chosen to train you is precisely that."

"You mean we're not going to be trained by an Order member?" James said indignantly.

"Most of us are already busy with missions," Gideon explained. "And since some of you here are still undecided about joining us, we thought it best you're not trained by a member of the Order. That way, if anyone were to force-fed you Veritaserum and ask if you're a member of the Order or trained by one, you don't have to lie."

"Wish you both could train us," Sirius said glumly as others, including Snape, murmured in agreement. Gideon beamed at the group as Fabian checked his watch.

"It's ok, guys," Fabian said as he looked up. "We've trained this guy ourselves and taught him everything he needs to know. He's great with spells, understanding and could even rival us in duelling if I'm being honest."

"If he's so great, why isn't he a member?" Alice asked.

"Well, it's because we didn't allow him to be. Forced him not to, actually." Gideon said.

"Why?" Lily asked.

"Because he had another job. A much, more important one." Fabian said as he checked on his watch while tapping his foot impatiently. "He should be here any moment."

"What's the job?" Remus asked.

"Taking care of our baby sister," Gideon spoke with a grin.

CRACK!

Out popped a wizard who looked a little on the plump side though he seemed fairly fit. He had flaming red hair, like Lily and was tall. He had many freckles on his face as he beamed at Fabian and Gideon who accosted him with hugs.

"Hi, everyone." said the wizard with bright, blue eyes as a wide and friendly grin appeared on his face. "My name is Arthur Weasley."

…

Soon, it was October and while many seventh-year students were sweating over their NEWTs while others took other activities such as carving pumpkins, Snape and the rest of the group had been busy in work. From Monday to Friday, they were students, attending classes, taking exams and participating in extra-curricular activities. The weekends, however, were a different story as Snape and his group underwent training by Arthur Weasley. Snape found Arthur to be a great teacher, patient, and understanding as he put them through the rigours of training. Arthur taught them spells that he knew, charms that were useful as well as other skills required in the field. He also played to their strengths such as getting James and Sirius to help the others in improving their physical fitness. Snape felt himself grow in power as he learned how to duel, how to adapt to situations and most importantly, how to be prepared. Yet while he flourished, others didn't do so well. Peter had the most trouble, being the least talented of the group, requiring extra training on the weekdays. Others like his girlfriend Mary often found it difficult to adapt to situations. Not that he could blame her, of course.

Though they were considered to be adults, they were also just school children at the young age of seventeen. To have to juggle both worlds came at such a heavy price that some began to make sacrifices. A good example was James, who sought to be a great leader and in doing so, requested McGonagall to remove him from the Quidditch team. McGonagall had refused James's request and Snape had thought that it was due to her pride in wanting the Quidditch Cup. It was only later that he learnt of McGonagall being a member herself and she informed them all that despite joining the Order, keeping up appearances so as to protect its secrecy was crucial. Yet, it had not prevented them from feeling the burden of their duties.

So it was no surprise to Snape when he realised that he had yet to talk to Lily about her breakup with James. The thought only occurred to him when he realised he was alone with Lily while working in the Potions classroom late one afternoon. Arthur had given him and Lily the task of preparing Potions that would be useful in the field and seeing their background and proficiency in Potions, both Snape and Lily were tasked in brewing up some potions with ingredients being supplied from Slughorn through Dumbledore. It was that day, while they were checking on the Felix Felicis, that Snape thought of getting the question off his chest.

"So Lily," Snape asked warily as he watched the redhead witch stirring the pot of molten gold liquid. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm good," Lily said as she smiled at him. Snape cleared his throat.

"I mean, how are you holding up after your break up with James? We've haven't had the chance to talk about it, if you want to talk about it, of course!" Snape added hastily as he tried to look as nonchalant as possible. Lily gave a smile as she stopped stirring. She walked over towards and pulled herself a seat behind a table. Snape took a chair and sat opposite her.

"I'm doing better, I guess. I mean, the first two months was completely hard. Was crying at such random moments." Lily said as a pang of guilt shot through Snape. He hadn't even noticed that Lily had been crying.

"I'm sorry. I should have been there." Snape said but Lily dismissed him with a wave of her hand. "No, it's okay. I just needed time to compose myself, you know."

"But it must have been difficult. I mean, you did love him." Snape said as Lily gave him a strange look.

"Did I?" Lily spoke, more to herself than to Snape. "I mean, yes, of course, I do have feelings for him and I do love him."

"But?"

"But it's like…sometimes he just gets on my nerves, you know! It's like he needs time to mature and maybe…" Lily trailed off as Snape gave her a curious look.

"Maybe what?"

Lily shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe we just got together too fast. I always thought that if ever I would meet the one, we would get together this year, you know? He would be a man and I would be ready to love him but me and James just happened too fast! And that blinded me to all the things I didn't see before. Like his ego."

"James is just…confident," Snape said, in a poor attempt to defend James. Truth was, Lily was right. James did have an ego though to James's credit, he had made attempts to lower it this year.

"Anyways, it work out for the best, I suppose. Can't really fall in love now, not when we're about to be thrown in the middle of war." Lily sighed as Snape nodded in agreement.

"So do you still love him?" Snape asked as Lily raised an eyebrow.

"Why so curious, Sev?" Lily asked as she narrowed her eyes at Snape.

"Just wondering," Snape said as he pretended to read through the Potions book he had brought to the table. Lily, however, continued to stare at Snape before averting her gaze.

"Honestly, I don't know."

"How can you not know?!" Snape blurted out, unable to stop himself. "I mean, it's either you have feelings for him or you don't."

"Well, of course, I still have feelings for him. Those don't just go away." Lily replied while giving him a mystifying look. "But that doesn't mean I'll end up with him. There's more to maintaining a relationship than just feelings. You should know since you're with Mary."

 _Mary_ A part of Snape cursed himself for briefly forgetting about her. Something inside of him had wanted to know the reason for Lily breaking up with James. There was even a glimmer of hope that perhaps, Lily had let go of her feelings because…

 _No, Alice is right. I have Mary now. I love Mary._

"Sev, you okay?" Lily asked with a look of concern on her face. Snape gave her a smile.

"I'm okay. Just…thinking about…how things are, you know?"

Lily nodded her head. "Tell me about it!" Lily said as she clapped her hands. "Can you believe that we're in our seventh year now?! Where did the time go by? I remembered when we used to hang out at the playground and under the tree, thinking about what it would be like to go to Hogwarts and now, we're going to be graduating?!"

"I know," Snape said as he broadened his smile. "Makes you really reflect on everything."

"Well, I'm glad of one thing," Lily said as she beamed at him. "That I will always have you around. Seriously, can you imagine our lives if either of us weren't in it?"

Snape said nothing as he walked back to check on the Felix Felicis. Lily was right. He couldn't imagine life without her. Even if they chose different paths, Snape doubted he would lose any intense feelings that he still felt towards her. No matter how long, how far away she was or who she was with, Lily Evans would always be a part of him as he knew she would the moment he had set his eyes on her all those years ago. Lily Evans was more than a friend. Lily was his…

 _Soulmate? But I'm with Mary! And she has no feelings for me._

"Lily!" Snape blurted out as Lily stared at him. "I have something to confess."

"Okay…" Lily said as Snape motioned for her to sit down. He could feel himself shaking as Snape looked down on his feet before raising his head and staring into Lily's beautiful green eyes.

"Lily Evans, I…loved you. I fancied you. I had a crush on you. I used to think that I fell in love with you somewhere during my third year but I know better now. It happened way before that. It happened when I first laid my eyes on you. And I know a lot of people will tell you that it's just a crush, just a fleeting moment of attraction but no, to me, falling in love with you changed everything. You're the reason why I'm in Gryffindor. I couldn't stand to leave you with James and Sirius at that point and so I willed myself, despite my love for Slytherin, to join you at Gryffindor. I used to crave your every word, your every touch, every moment. When you're not in my life, everything seems so hollow, so dark, so empty."

Snape could see Lily's eyes looking slightly watery.

"Then came the day when Alice told me that you fell for James and I couldn't believe it. How could someone so perfect fall for such a prat? Part of me wanted to hate you, convince you that you were making a mistake and even run away from you because I couldn't deal with the pain but… I did none of those things. I didn't because I was your friend and you needed my support. So I lived through it. I told myself that I rather swim in the pain than to walk away from you even if the latter seemed like the better option. But soon, I started to drown so I decided to move on. Then Mary came and I became much happier than I ever did before."

Snape stared at Lily who had now gotten off her seat. Snape could feel tears forming in his eyes but he blinked them away furiously. Instead, Snape forced a bittersweet smile on his face.

"I don't why I'm telling you all this now. Maybe it's because you just broke up and I want you to know that things will get better. Maybe it's because it's our seventh year, I don't know!" Snape said frustratingly as he placed his hands on his hips. "I just needed to get it off my chest."

"I knew," Lily whispered as she looked at him with teary eyes. "Oh Sev, I'm so sorry…wait…give me a moment." Lily said as she wiped her tears off with a tissue and composed herself. Snape waited in trepidation for what Lily had to say as she cleared her throat.

"I always knew you had a crush on me, Sev. I admit it took me a while to realise but once I did, I was terrified. Terrified because I didn't have feelings for you but I didn't want to lose you. You're my best friend, Sev and losing you was unthinkable to me. So I did what comes naturally. I denied it. I told myself that so long as you never reveal your feelings for me, that they weren't true. But even before James, in my past relationships, the way you would react to every boy I date, I took note of it, Sev. It was one of the reasons why I broke up with those boys because I rather have you than them. Then came James and I was afraid."

Snape watched as Lily exhaled a long breath.

"I was afraid because I really started to fall for James and for the first time, I realised I couldn't pick between either of you. If you weren't happy with James and I dating, I wasn't sure what I would do. So again, the denial of your feelings grew stronger and I convinced myself, especially when James asked me to the Ball and you told me to be happy, that you really didn't have feelings for me. But I always knew. And it was so hard, Sev! Believe me! James would insist that we would kiss only when you're not around but I told him that if we ever wanted you to accept us, that we shouldn't hide our relationship."

"Is that why you wanted me around on that day we fought? You wanted me to accept your relationship with James?" Snape asked.

"No. That was because I was afraid of losing you. I was selfish, I admit that. I wanted my best friend and boyfriend together with me." Lily whispered as she grabbed his hands. "Then it happened. I notice you starting to drift away. You were spending more time with Alice and Mary and all of a sudden, you and Mary were together. And I couldn't be happier although if we're being honest, I was jealous."

"You were jealous?!" Snape said as Lily nodded.

"How could I not be? Alice became your best friend and suddenly, all the things we used to share were given to someone else. Mary became your girlfriend and you had other priorities. Of course, I didn't say anything because I wanted to be happy for you and I am, I am, Sev! But…" Lily gave a slight laugh. "You have no idea the number of times I talked to James about how jealous I was. I swore James to secrecy so you had no idea."

"Wow, really?" Snape said as he stared at Lily. "Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine you being jealous of having to share me with someone."

"I guess we never really appreciate or see people for who they are until they're gone. Or in your case, in relationships with other girls." Lily laughed as she smiled at him. "But, honestly, I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks," Snape said as he felt lighter than he ever did. "Can't believe it took me seven years and having a girlfriend to finally get that off my chest." Lily grew silent as Snape stared at her. He could see her bottom lip trembling as her cheeks turned slightly pink.

"Sev, can I ask you a question?" Lily asked as she pulled away her hands.

"Of course, Lily."

Lily stared at him for what seemed like an eternity. "Do you…still…I mean…do you love Mary?"

"Oh!" Snape said, wondering why he felt slightly disappointed. "Yeah…Yes, I do."

"That's good. She's really very lucky." Lily said before walking towards the shelf of ingredients. Though her back was turned, Snape wondered if there was something in her expression that Lily didn't want him to see.

 _Of course, I love Mary._

 _Don't I?_

… _._

"That's good, James." Arthur chuckled as James removed his Disillusionment Charm to appear before them again.

"I don't see why I can't use my Cloak," James said as Arthur raised his eyebrow. "He has an invisibility cloak," Sirius explained as Arthur chuckled.

"Those cloaks wear off over time. Not to mention, they can get in the way. An invisibility cloak won't prevent curses or hexes from having an effect on you and trust me, you will need to rely on your reflexes to help you out."

Snape exchanged a knowing look with James and Sirius. James's cloak had shown no signs of fading or even any wear or tear despite the countless generations it had been passed down.

"And finally, we come to this today," Arthur spoke grimly as the rest of the group stared at him. Arthur had brought along a container that he had covered with a brown cloth. Removing the cloth, Snape could see several cockroaches scuttling around. A few of the girls cringed in disgust and even James took a step back.

"Do we have to eat those?" Peter ask as Frank made a face at him. Smiling at Peter, Arthur shook his head.

"No, because these creatures are here for you to practice your next spell on. Can you guess what spell that is?"

Everyone looked blankly at each other before Remus cleared his throat. "It's obvious. All this while we've been practicing spells on each other so whatever spell you want us to practice on these cockroaches has to be very dangerous. Can't be the Imperius curse because those we can practice on ourselves and I doubt there's much need for a Cruciatus curse."

Arthur nodded his head solemnly as one by one, each member of the group realised what spell they were about to learn.

"Avada Kedavra," Arthur spoke as he gazed at the group. "The Killing Curse."

"I don't think I can do this," Mary whispered.

"What if we don't want to?" Dorcas agreed

"Can't we just Stun them?" Lily asked as Arthur motioned for everyone to sit in a circle. Taking Arthur's cue, Snape sat next to Mary while giving her hand a squeeze.

"Guys, listen," Arthur said in a serious voice as he gazed upon each member of the group. "I wish I could say that you didn't have to learn this. I wish I could tell you that Stunning or Disarming or any other hexes or jinxes are enough but here's the hard truth. And I find it best to get my message across through a story."

Arthur cleared his throat as Snape listened intently.

"I knew a man once, back before the Order existed. He was a husband to a loving wife and a father to two children. Now this man was kind and gentle. He refused to use the Killing Curse because in his own words, he saw no reason for any man to take another man's life. It's not up to us, he would say, and every life is precious, no matter how tainted that life may be. One day, he and his family ran into some nasty Death Eaters and they were throwing the Killing Curse in every direction. The man, skilled as he was, managed to subdue two of them but the final one was proving to be quite the challenge. So when came down to it, the man threw a Stunning spell, hoping he could knock the Death Eater unconscious. But the Death Eater was skilled as well and blocked the spell with a Powerful Shield Charm. In the melee, the Death Eater spotted his wife and children and pointed his wand at them. The man, the kind man who wouldn't harm a fly, became a husband and a father no longer."

Snape could see the faces of terror on his friends.

"See, what sets the Killing Curse apart from all other spells is that there is no way to _shield_ from it. You either get out of the way or you pray the spell hits something other than yourself. The spell's effectiveness is second to none. No one has survived the Killing Curse and no one can. Not even You-know-who though no one has ever been able to make the attempt before. When you Stun someone, they can regain consciousness, Disarm someone and they can retrieve their wand or use another but when you use the Killing Curse, the effects are permanent. There's no coming back, no second chance, no recovery. Only Death."

Arthur sighed as he waved his wand. The container of cockroaches flew down to his lap.

"If the man had used the Killing Curse, his family would be alive. Sometimes, in a war, we have to make the harshest and toughest of decisions and knowing how to cast one is crucial. Imagine if you didn't have the practice and your Killing Curse, which requires a great deal of concentration and skill, falls short. People around you could die and of course, you could die as well. I pray that you never have to use such a spell but if you did, if you have to make that split-second decision to do it, I pray that you get it right."

"Do we really have to learn how to use it? What if we never use it at all?" Lily asked, a pleading tone in her voice.

"I admit I rather none of you will ever have to use it. Taking someone's life isn't something to be taken lightly but sometimes, the situation does call for it like in the story. You will only use it when necessary and when there is a need to do it, like in a life or death situation. But you will need to not hesitate. Even the slightest pause can have the worst consequences." Arthur said grimly. No one said a word. Snape could see that everyone was giving much thought to Arthur's words.

"Now…" Arthur said as he gave them all a serious look. "Does anyone want to go first?"

Snape could see everyone exchanging looks. For the first time, there was no enthusiasm from any of them. Even James and Sirius, who were usually the first to volunteer, looked cautious and apprehensive. Snape fiddled about with his wand. He was cautious too, fearful about what it would mean if he ever had to use the spell but Arthur's story had gotten to him. They were in a war, after all. Before Snape could volunteer himself, however, he heard a loud shriek in the room.

"I can't!" Mary screamed as Snape saw tears streaking down his girlfriend's face. "This is too much. It's too much. I'm sorry!" Mary yelled before bursting from the room.

"Mary, wait!" Snape shouted as he saw the other members of the group calling out to her as well. "I'll go after her. You guys just continue without us." Snape said to Arthur who nodded before Snape disappeared from the room.

Making his way through the passage, Snape opened the door that was hidden at the base of the Whomping Willow. He called and yelled for Mary but was unable to see her. After combing through the Hogwarts Grounds, Snape found Mary seated by the same spot they sat when they were watching the Thestrals. He could see her patting a Thestral slightly before inching away and collapsing on a patch of grass.

"Mary," Snape said as he looked at his girlfriend who was brimming with tears. Knowing no words were needed to be said right now, Snape threw himself at her and pulled her into a hug. He could feel Mary latching on him for all her worth, her tears wetting the sleeves of his robes.

"Shhh, it's okay, Mary. I'm here. I'm here." Snape said as he held her tight. There they sat, each unwilling to release their hold on each other while the Thestrals stared at them.

…

"You're feeling better?" Snape asked gently as Mary nodded her head slightly. He could see that her eyes were still red from crying.

"Sorry, I guess I might have overreacted," Mary said as Snape gave her a smile.

"It's perfectly normal. I mean, Arthur did take us by surprise."

"But he's right," Mary said as she looked ahead towards the Thestrals. The Thestrals were no longer sitting as they continued to gallop around the woods while sniffing the ground for food. "A member of the Order has to be able to perform the Killing Curse when necessary. What if I can't do it? What if I make a mistake and someone kills somebody I love? Like Lily or Alice or you? I'm not strong enough."

"You're plenty strong, Mary," Snape said soothingly, in an effort to comfort her. "You were just taken by surprise. It's not easy thing to do and I'm sure no one will fault you for the way you reacted. Like Arthur said, it's necessary but it doesn't mean you will ever have to use it. We just need to learn it so that we can be prepared."

"Prepared! Hah!" Mary scoffed as she gave a derisive laugh. Turning to Snape, he could see her blue eyes staring intently at him.

"Sev, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Do you ever think about the future?"

Snape pondered the thought for a minute. For every day that he had lived, Snape could not recall a time where he ever gave much thought to the future. Granted, there were distractions like the Ball and Voldemort but even before then, all Snape could think about was mastering his magic. Snape shook his head as Mary continued to speak.

"I do. I think about the future all the time." Mary confessed as she gave him a smile. "I dream about my life after Hogwarts. Do I want to pursue a career in the magical world or do I want to pursue a career in my Muggle life? I think about what kind of job I want to do. I think about things in my life that I haven't done like going on overseas holidays with my friends or even simple Muggle things, like learning how to drive. I've been thinking about my future every single day since I've been in Hogwarts and it didn't change much until the day when we finally went out."

Snape could see Mary smiling widely now.

"I never dreamt that I would have a boyfriend, much less my crush as one. But then we started dating and all the things I ever wanted to do since I became a witch got so much better. I dreamt on us going on more dates and taking a holiday together, be it with our friends or just us. I dreamt of the day I would finally introduce you to my parents…"

"Parents?!" Snape cried as Mary laughed at him before nudging him playfully. "Don't worry, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Snape gave a sigh of relief.

"And after that, I dreamt of marriage. How it would be like to be married, get a house, get a job and who knows, one day, even kids. I dream about it all, Sev. Spending Sundays at a barbecue party with James and Sirius teaching our kids to fly while the rest of us mingle and maybe have the occasional Quidditch match. Doesn't that sound beautiful?"

 _It does_ Snape thought as he tried to picture it. Him seated with his son on his lap while his friends and family stood nearby. Happy and alive.

"But Mary," Snape said as he looked at her. "None of those things can happen if we don't stop Voldemort. He's going to destroy all of that. We can't live in a world where a mass murderer rules over it."

"I agree." Mary nodded before giving Snape a look of determination. "And that's why we don't have to. We can leave."

"Leave?!" Snape cried as he stared at Mary as if she was crazy. "And go where?"

"Wherever Voldemort isn't! We could go to America or Argentina or Australia! I doubt even someone as powerful as Voldemort can rule over the entire world. The world is much too big, even for Voldemort to rule over it."

Snape stood up as he stared at Mary. He couldn't believe his ears.

"Let me get this straight," Snape said as Mary stood up with him. "You want to leave and abandon our friends?"

"Not abandon!" Mary cried, aghast that Snape would even have such a thought. "We could talk to them. Convince them. They will listen to you. James will listen to you!"

Snape doubted very much that James would listen, let alone agree to such a suggestion. "We can't do that. Our friends won't leave Britain. This is our home and we should fight for it. We must fight for it."

"Why?! We're just kids." Mary cried.

"We're technically adults now," Snape replied.

"Oh, don't give me that load of bollocks!" Mary snapped as Snape could see her glaring at him. "We're seventeen, fucking seventeen, Snape! Do you know what kids our age are doing when they're seventeen? They're going to school, going on holidays, hanging out and fooling around. Not practising how to kill someone! Not joining some militant group intent on overthrowing some monster! Dumbledore, Fabian, Gideon, Arthur! They have no right to expect anything from us. NO RIGHT AT ALL!"

"This isn't a fairy-tale," Snape said, his voice rising in anger. "This is real life and whether you like it or not, no matter how old we are, we are in a war! A war that has taken the lives of people from all walks of life, no matter if they're magical or not, no matter the blood they have! I want a future as badly as you do, Mary, believe me, I do! But I will not run away or cower. I'm a Gryffindor, for goodness sake!"

"And do you think this is just some school issue?! That Voldemort is some bully? He's a freaking monster, for crying out loud." Mary roared as she glared at him. "Do you have the faintest idea of what it's like to be in a war? Or killing someone? When they die, that's it! Like Arthur said, there's no second chance! It's permanent! If we stick to the Order, the probability of us dying is much higher than anyone else out there. Can you imagine living a life without your Marauders? Without Lily? Or Alice? Or me?! Don't you think I've imagine what it would be like to one day, having to look at you, knowing that you're a corpse and that I won't get to see you smile or laugh or cry because you're gone? GONE, SEVERUS. YOU'RE DEAD AND YOU COULD HAVE LIVED!"

"But our friends aren't going to go with us, Mary." Snape pleaded as he tried to use a different approach. "They won't, even if I try to convince them and I can't abandon my friends. Lily has been there all my life. Alice is so important to me. James is like my brother. So are all of them. They're not just our friends anymore, Mary. They're our family."

"If all your friends jumped off a cliff, would you follow suit?" Mary asked.

"No, but neither will they if we're there to prevent it," Snape said as he grabbed her hands, only for Mary to pull away.

"I know it's selfish of me," Mary said as she turned away from him. "I know it's cowardly to run. But it's the smart thing to do. Dumbledore can handle Voldemort. There won't be a need for us to turn into murderers…"

Snape flinched at the mention of the word.

"…and we can live in peace. No one will think lesser of us." Mary continued as she pushed her hand through her hair. "All my life, I've dealt with bullies, Snape and I put up with it for all of you. But now, you're asking me to risk my life and my future and I'm telling you, I can't do it. Not when I know I won't be safe. You can't expect me too."

"Then don't join the Order, Mary," Snape said as he thought of a compromise. "But don't expect me to follow you or to run away. I can't do it. We can think of a way to make this work. Maybe a Fidelius Charm on Sirius's flat should do the trick and once Voldemort is defeated, we can live together."

"You're asking me to wait patiently while you go risk your life?" Mary said incredulously. "You think I consider that a better alternative?"

"Then what would you have me do?!" Snape cried in exasperation. "Tell me, Mary, really! What would you have me do?"

"Come with me, Snape. Please. We can live a life together!" Mary pleaded as Snape watched the tears streak down her eyes again. Snape let out a sigh.

"I can't do that, Mary."

"And I can't watch you get hurt," Mary said as she sat down on the patch of grass once more. Snape stared at blonde-haired witch. Seeing no response from Mary, Snape sat next to her. He took a moment to stare at her, watching her bosom rise slowly with every breath she took, her blue eyes mirroring the sea as it brimmed with tears, her long streaks of dirty-blonde hair cascading down her light skin. Reaching out for her hand, Snape held it as tightly as he could, not wanting the softness and smoothness of her palm and fingers to ever let go. He savoured the touch of her hand and the scent of floral shampoo as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"What are we going to do?" Mary whispered.

Snape looked up to the trees as the last rays of orange were starting to disappear over the horizon. He could hear the soft whimpering of the trees as the winds blew past. Using his other hand to brush the fringe of Mary's hair, Snape planted a soft kiss on her forehead as he felt Mary tremble under his lips.

"I don't know, Mary. I don't know."

…

"How was Mary today?" Alice asked as Snape gave another grunt. It had been three months since Mary walked out on joining the Order. The others, especially James, had tried to convince her to rejoin the group but Mary had refused to budge. Snape was grateful, however, that the group had refused to abandon her. Yet despite his efforts as well as others, Mary was adamant in not changing her mind. Not that Snape could blame her, of course. It wasn't selfish to want to live and Snape, of all people, knew how much Mary had suffered under the Slytherins. Yet a part of him was still slightly bitter at the way things had ended between them.

Alice, Dorcas, and Lily had all tried to convince him that his relationship with Mary wasn't over. That she was just scared and she needed time. James even asked Mary to join the group for Christmas and New Year's at Godric's Hollow with the intention of allowing Snape to try to win her over. Yet Mary was persistent in wanting to leave for America as soon as she graduated. It was clear to him that, even though it was left unsaid, he and Mary were no longer together.

"I'm sure she's fine." Snape sighed as Alice gave him a look of concern.

"Did you even talk to her today?"

"Why should I?" Snape said bitterly as he folded his arms. "She's not my girlfriend. She made that clear."

"She told you that?" Alice asked as Snape refused to answer. Sighing, Alice took another stone and skipped it across the Black Lake.

"Sev, if she hasn't said anything and you guys haven't talked, then don't think that way. You guys just need time." Alice said as Snape gave a dry laugh.

"Time? She made it clear that she wants to leave. I'm staying here fighting for what I know, in my heart, is the right thing to do and she wants to leave. I think it's clear where we stand." Snape said bitterly as he got up to throw another rock into the lake.

 _I'm not the one who wants to leave!_ Snape thought angrily as he continued to throw stone after stone into the lake, growling frustratingly at his failed attempts at skipping.

"Well, I think it's clear," Snape said, breaking the silence between the two friends. "Mary is not my soulmate."

"Why, in Merlin's name, would you say that?" Alice asked.

"Because a soulmate wouldn't abandon me. A soulmate would stick around, no matter what the cost."

"You think that's what she's doing? Abandoning you?" Alice said as she shook her head. "She's just scared, Severus."

"So am I! So are you! So are all of us! We should be scared!" Snape roared as he stomped his foot. "But that doesn't mean we should just abandon our friends to go live some perfect life while others are fighting for theirs! If you truly love someone, you wouldn't do that! I know you're her friend, Alice but try to see it from my perspective, she's just being a coward."

"And you're just being angry," Alice said gently as she patted his shoulder. "And I don't blame you one bit. I think she's in the wrong here but I can sympathise with her. All she wants is for her and her friends to be safe. I can't fault her for that."

"Argghhh!" Snape yelled as yet another stone sunk down upon his throw. Collapsing to the ground, Snape let out a sigh.

"I don't know what to do."

"Severus Snape, look at me," Alice whispered as she cupped his face with her hands. Snape turned to look into her beautiful, blue eyes as he stared at Alice smiling gently at him.

"Sometimes, when we love someone, we have to let them go. But if she loves you, she'll come back. I know she will. You just have to have faith."

"But Alice…" Snape whispered as he stared at her. "What if I don't?"

"Don't what?"

"Love her," Snape said as Alice's eyes began to widen. "Well, of course, you love her. Why are you reacting this way?"

"Because…"Snape said as he looked away. "Because I miss having her around. I miss her by my side. I miss so much about her. But…but…"

"But what, Severus?" Alice whispered as her eyes stared into his. Snape trembled as his mind turned towards his deepest thoughts, ones he had been thinking about more frequently since he and Mary had split.

In the beginning, Snape was angry. He was still upset if he was being honest and yet, despite Mary wanting to leave, Snape was surprised that he didn't feel as sad he ought to. Sure, he miss her and he was still angry that she had to leave but if he was being honest, Mary walking out on him was not nearly as painful as he wanted it to be. Isn't one supposed to feel pain, indescribable pain when their loved one ends the relationship? Yet, the pain, as strong as it was, was nowhere as unbearable as the pain Snape felt upon seeing Lily with James? Or even when Frank had insinuated that…

And then there was the other thing? How Mary had begged him to come with her and yet, Snape had refused. If he truly love her, if he did, wouldn't he have agreed, friends and family be damned? Yet the thought never crossed his mind. His heart had been decided. He couldn't abandon his friends. He couldn't abandon James or Sirius or Remus or Peter or Frank or Dorcas or Lily or…

"Snape?" Alice cried out once again, her face a mixture of puzzlement and concern. Snape let out a sigh. He had been lost in his thoughts for too long.

"I'm just tired, I guess," Snape said as Alice gave him a small smile. Snape stood up to throw another stone, only to watch it sink once more.

"Drat!" Snape cried as Alice giggled as she stood next to him. "I really suck at it."

"That's because you're not taking your time to learn how to throw it," Alice spoke as she took up a stone. "All you been doing is just throwing without thinking about how it's supposed to go. Skipping stones is a lot like life, Sev. Keep throwing blindly and hoping that life somehow swings in your favour is no way to live. You got to do it differently, learn through every misstep you make and one day, you'll get the hang of it."

"Speaking of life, do you ever think of the future?" Snape said as Alice shrugged her shoulders.

"Who hasn't?"

"So what does the great Alice want to do when she leaves Hogwarts? You know after this whole Voldemort business?" Snape asked as he grinned at Alice.

"Well, I'm not really big on the whole picturing my life in twenty years to come and all that but yeah, I do get the occasional thought of marriage and family and kids. But do you want to know what I really want to do?"

"What?" Snape asked.

"Travel. And no, it's not that clichéd answer that everyone says but never does. We're wizards, Sev. We can literally Apparate anywhere within a certain radius and for those far-away places, we can use Portkeys." Alice said with a sigh. "I just want to grab a broom or enchant a car and just fly to different places. And not just those that Muggles go to. I want to see the giants at Hyperborea, pluck apples at the island of Avalon or play with the nymphs at Nysa. After my worldly and otherworldly tour, I want to go a nice tropical island and just bask in the sun."

"And after that?" Snape asked.

"I supposed I can get married. Be the loving mother to two children."

"Just two?!" Snape laughed as Alice nudged him on his arm.

"Hey, two is more than enough. The perfect nuclear family. A son and a daughter." Alice said as she beamed at the thought.

"What are their names?" Snape played along to Alice's fantasy.

"For the girl, I'm thinking Celeste, you know because it means heavenly and for the boy, maybe something plain, like Neville!"

"And you expect me to believe you didn't give it this any thought?" Snape said incredulously as Alice giggled at him.

"I said occasionally, didn't I? We probably will love somewhere in the countryside, a nice rural setting next to a small town or village. It will depend on where you'll be living, of course."

"Me?" Snape said, astonished at the thought.

"Of course!" Alice replied. "Surely you don't think I'll live far away from you? Your wife and I will become best friends, always exchanging gossips about you. In fact, can you imagine if all of us lived a stone's throw away from each other? We could introduce our families to one another. Share our time together. Do like a grand get-together at least once a month and trade stories with one another. James or Sirius will probably regale all our kids with our war stories."

"And what about me?"

"You'll be the one all our kids will come to for advice. Especially if it involves Potions. I can imagine my son under you. You'll take such great care of him."

"Neville Longbottom." Snape chuckled as he picked up a pebble. "Hope he isn't as wild as his mother."

"What makes you think his last name will be Longbottom?" Alice asked as she stared at him.

"I just assume…you know…with Frank?" Snape said as Alice turned away from him. Now it was Snape's turn to look puzzled and concerned. "Alice?"

"That's the one thing I can't picture yet." Alice sighed as she stared glumly at the lake. "I mean, Frank's great and all but…I can't picture it just yet. Maybe after the war, I'll get a better picture."

"So long as you and I are in it, we'll be alright," Snape said as Alice smiled at him. Seeing her brown curls bobbing up and down in the wind while her blue eyes and pink lips smile at him, Snape felt a strange tugging in his chest. Dismissing the thought, Snape pulled back his hand and swung, his wrist flicking in a similar fashion to that of Alice. He watched as the shiny, brown pebble glided in the air before skipping effortlessly on the surface of the water.

"Oh my Merlin, you did it!" Alice yelled as she clapped with glee. As he watched her smile and laugh, Snape couldn't help but notice three things. The first was that while looking at Alice, he could feel his hair standing on end as if lightning had just passed through him. The second was that his heart was beating so rapidly that he wasn't even sure if it was there at times. The third, however, was the one that surprised him the most.

He had, for a moment, forgotten all about Mary.

…..

"Could we like play another game besides Truth or Dare?" Peter groaned as Sirius removed the pig's tail that was sticking out of his arse. It was New Year's at the Potter's home in Godric's Hollow and Snape wondered if there was ever a more festive place in the country to be. There were streamers and party items all around the house as the Potters had enlarged it magically to fit all the guests that had attended. There were many unfamiliar faces, most of whom were friends of the Potters who had gathered for the celebration. Snape noticed many Order members including Alastor Moody who was taking a swig from his personal flask while the Prewitt twins were engrossed in talking to their sister and husband as Snape gave Arthur a wave.

Lily, Dorcas, and Alice were all giggling in a corner while Frank and Remus played Exploding Snap while Sirius and James kept taking turns at giving Peter dares. Snape could see fireworks stacked in the corner, awaiting the stroke of midnight where the town of Godric's Hollow will no doubt be showered with a spectacle of bursting lights that will dazzle the night sky. Sipping his Butterbeer, Snape noticed Alice waving at him as he waved back. Once again, he felt the tugging in his heart. Before he could dwell further on it, Snape felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Hey, Sev."

Snape turned around to see Mary, holding a bottle as she smiled at him. She looked lovely in her red dress.

"Hey," Snape said as he smiled at her. It had been a while since either of them had spoken to each other.

"Listen, Sev, I was wondering if we could go somewhere to talk? Somewhere a little less loud and crazy?" Mary said as Snape nodded. The pair went out of the house but not before being accosted by James who passed Snape his Invisibility Cloak for protection as Sirius had sworn to tear it to pieces after James had shot a hex at him. Laughing at the antics of their friends, Snape and Mary made their way out of the cottage and towards the old treehouse that stood on the outskirts of the village. Snape noticed an abandoned, derelict building along the way as he and Mary sat down on a couple of tree stumps in the forest.

"What do you want to talk about?" Snape said as he cast two Heating Charms on himself and Mary, who rubbed her hands gratefully.

"How have you been?" Mary asked warily as Snape could see her trying to surmise his well-being.

"I've been good. Really focused on work" Snape replied. He had wanted to add on his progress with his Order training but had thought the better of it. "What about you?"

"Same really. Still focusing on those NEWTs." Mary said as she looked away. Snape could see that she was grasping at straws.

"You look good, though. That dress of yours is a real knockout." Snape said as he admired her crimson dress. Mary blushed at the compliment but before she could say anything, a flurry of snowflakes flew between them.

"Oh my, it's snowing again." Mary cried as she and Snape stared at the thousands of tiny, white specks falling from the night sky. Snape took James's cloak and covered Mary with it, leaving only her head visible. He burst out in laughter at the sight as Mary, upon realizing that her head was floating about in thin air, followed suit.

"My sides! I can't take it." Snape panted as he tried to compose himself from laughing. Mary, on the other hand, moved closer as she sat together with Snape on the tree stump while pulling the cloak around them. "We floating heads ought to stick together!" Mary giggled as Snape smiled at her. He had missed having Mary around. Most of the time, they exchanged pleasantries but it had never been much more than that.

"I missed this," Mary said, echoing Snape's thoughts. Snape could see a forlorn expression on her face as she turned to face him.

"Yeah, me too," Snape said as he stared at her.

"Sev," Mary sighed as she exhaled a long breath. "This past few months, what with everything that has been going on, I realise that all I've been doing is trying to distract myself. I was scared…oh who am I kidding…I'm _still_ scared and yes, I just want to be safe but not having you by my side, it was painful. And it got me thinking…" Mary trailed off as Snape could see her struggling for words.

"Thinking?" Snape said, hoping to help her forward.

"Thinking that maybe I was too quick to decide. It's not easy being a Gryffindor and being scared all the time but…I rather be scared and with you than be safe but lonely somewhere else."

"What are you saying, Mary?"

Mary gave Snape a bittersweet smile. "I'm saying that maybe I was too rash in wanting to leave. Maybe what I really needed was to discover a reason to stay. Took me long enough but…I'm glad I got it before it's too late. I want to help."

"You want to rejoin the Order?" Snape asked hopefully. Mary shook her head.

"Maybe not rejoin the Order but as an ally, like Arthur is! Maybe I could stay out of missions but help out wherever I can. You're right the first time, Sev, this is our home and we shouldn't let anyone terrorise us out of it."

"That's good, Mary. That's really good!" Snape said cheerfully as he beamed at her. "And you're right! There's no need to be part of the Order but that doesn't mean you can't help us out."

"Do you think the rest will mind?" Mary asked nervously as Snape shook his head.

"I think everyone will be extremely happy to hear the news!" Snape said as he pulled her into a hug. Mary gave him a tight squeeze before pulling away, her expression looking as nervous as it was before.

"What's wrong?" Snape asked as he watched as Mary's lips started to tremble.

"What about us? Do you think we can go back to where we once were?"

Snape stared at Mary as he felt a tiny ache in his heart.

"Mary….I…." Snape began to speak as he stared at her. There was a part of him, one longing to feel loved once more that wanted to say yes. But Snape had gone past that. He no longer needed to feel love. Instead, he wanted to love and feel loved and despite what he felt for Mary, his feelings as much as he wanted them to be, weren't just strong enough.

"I will need time," Snape said, as he carefully picked his words. "I'm not saying we can go back to where we once were but we can give it another shot. But I can't promise you that I will feel the same. The past few months without you has given me much to think about."

"I understand." Mary sighed as she smiled at him. "Let's put a pause on us first? Maybe after the war?"

"Maybe," Snape said wistfully as he smiled at her. "Are you okay with us being just friends for the moment?"

"I'll take what I can get," Mary said as she nodded her head. "To be perfectly honest with you, I didn't think that you and I would have lasted this long. I've seen how you are with her and sometimes, I wonder if she's better for you."

"Her?" Snape said in surprise, having no idea of whom Mary was referring to. "You mean Lily?"

"No, not Lily," Mary said in a low whisper. "I was actually referring to…."

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Snape and Mary turned to the sounds emanating from the village as green and red flashes of light lit the air. He could hear yells and shouts in the distance.

"Is it midnight already?! James is going to kill me!" Snape said as he took off with Mary following suit. It only took them several metres into the village to discover that it was not yet midnight. In fact, as Snape and Mary closed in on the Potter's cottage, there were no screams of joy. Only of terror and panic.

Godric's Hollow was under attack.

…

"Get inside!" Fabian yelled at Snape and Mary as they retreated into the abandoned building that they had passed on the way. Streaks and flashes of curses whizzed past them as the trio took cover inside the building. Fabian placed protective charms on the door as soon as they entered. Upon entering the building, Snape saw that the trio were not alone as Gideon, together with Molly and Arthur were huddled in a corner.

"It's a fucking ambush!" Gideon roared as he peeked outside the windows. Snape could hear the screams of frenzied villagers as people rushed to avoid the curses being thrown. As he peeked through the window, he was met with a horrible sight. Many people were lying motionless on the streets as people in hooded masks were launching a barrage of spells everywhere. On a corner of the street, Snape saw a woman was bleeding to death while her baby lay crying on the street. Before he could say or do anything, a flash of green struck the child as the baby stopped crying, his short life wiped out before Snape's eyes.

"We can't apparate out of here. I tried" Arthur said as Fabian and Gideon nodded their heads. Molly was crying as she clutched her stomach with her left hand while her right hand was shaking. Mary, who had been scared stiff next to Snape, reached out and gave her a gentle squeeze.

"They've set up Anti-Apparation Charms around the village. Not any ordinary ones either. Whatever was cast with those Charms, they prevent the use of other charms so forget about trying to turn yourself invisible. Merlin, I've never seen that much Death Eaters in one place." Gideon growled as Fabian stared at his sister with concern.

"Where are the rest of our group?" Snape asked frantically as his thoughts turned to his friends. Fabian placed a hand on his shoulder.

"They're locked inside the Cottage. These Death Eaters are clever." Fabian growled. " You see, when they came, they knew they weren't going to be able to break the Potter's wards. So instead of trying to break _in,_ they placed their own wards around the outskirts of the house to prevent anyone from coming out. Right now, the Death Eaters are just biding their time. The protective Charms of the cottage are working but not for long. Sooner or later, it's going to break."

"The wards can't break. The Potters are impenetrable." Arthur replied as Fabian shook his head.

"Impenetrable for ordinary wizards, yes. But from what I've heard, _he's_ coming. And once he arrives, they're going to remove the wards before Voldemort does the rest."

Molly stifled a scream as the rest of them exchanged looks of horror. "We have to get them out!" Snape said as he tried to make a beeline for the door, only to be stopped by Gideon.

"Let go of me!" Snape screamed as Gideon held him back with his arms.

"You can't go out there! It's a suicide mission!" Gideon growled as Snape finally relented but not before glaring at him. "If I let you go out there, you will die!"

"THEY'RE ALL GOING TO DIE IF HE COMES!" Snape yelled back, unable to contain his emotions any longer. James, Lily, Alice… all of them were inside, awaiting the arrival of Voldemort.

"Don't you think I know that! What were the two of you doing outside, anyway?" Gideon asked irritably.

"We went for a walk," Mary replied before Snape could say anything. "What are you doing outside the house?"

"We went for a walk as well," Arthur replied.

"Does that really matter right now?" Molly said exasperatedly. " How are we going to help our friends?"

"I'm thinking! Give me a moment." Gideon said as he went to a corner.

"What are they even doing here? Why so many Death Eaters in one place?" Arthur mused.

"Does it matter?" Molly snapped.

"Well, from what I heard, they were searching for something. I kept hearing Gryffindor's name like they were looking for an artefact of Gryffindor's." Fabian spoke.

"Why could Death Eaters want with Gryffindor?" Arthur said in astonishment.

"I don't know. But they were dead-set on finding it." Fabian replied grimly.

"I got it!" Gideon said as he walked back towards the group. "I use Legilimency on one of the Death Eaters outside though I doubt he even noticed. The charm they've put around the Potter's cottage prevents anyone from coming out but not from entering in. In fact, I know of the counter-spell that can get one of us to enter and release our friends. But…"

"But what?" Mary asked.

"But it requires the use of blood. Pureblood, judging by the spell. Definitely not Muggle-born. You will have to stick your hand, coated in blood on the charm before it breaks and you can enter. Seeing as we were all invited to the Potters, their wards won't prevent us from entering. One of us can break the charm and release them all." Gideon sighed as everyone exchanged looks.

"That settles it. Molly, you stay here with Sev and Mary. I, Gideon and Fabian will go and get our friends." Arthur said as Molly shook her head.

"You're barmy if you think I'm letting you go by yourself, Arthur! I'm coming with you! My blood is just as pure as yours!"

"This is no time to be arguing, Molly! Our kids need their mother and you're pregnant!" Arthur shouted as he firmly stood his ground.

"They need a father as well!"

"I'll go!" Snape said as the rest looked at him. "It's my family in there. The Potters are my family and my friends are there as well."

"You can't go, Sev!" Mary said. "You're not Pureblood!"

"We don't need to be," Snape explained. "One of you can give me your blood and smear it across my hand. I can break the enchantment and get them out. In the meantime, let's use the Invisibility Cloak and get whoever isn't going to go to the outskirts of the village and apparate to bring reinforcements. We can fit at least three people under the cloak."

"You have an Invisibility Cloak?" Gideon and Fabian said in unison as Mary showed them the cloak.

"I'm sorry, Sev, but I can't let you do that. You're not a member of the Order just yet." Arthur said as Snape shook his head.

"Neither are you, Arthur! I have to do this, please! I can't see anyone else die!" Snape yelled.

"Guys!" Fabian yelled as the rest started to argue. "GUYS!" he roared again as everyone stopped talking to turn to him. With a sigh, Fabian turned to Snape.

"You sure you're up to it?"

Snape gave him a determined look. "Yes."

"Then it's settled. Gideon and I will create a distraction. We will draw the Death Eaters to us. Snape, Gideon will place the counter-spell on you and by hook or by crook, get your hand on the enchantment. Arthur, take Molly and Mary to the Ministry and call for reinforcements. Get the Order! Get the Aurors. Bring Dumbledore. Everyone!"

"I really think I should…" Arthur said but Gideon cut him off.

"Arthur, what is your job?"

"We are really doing this now?" Arthur replied incredulously as Gideon grabbed him by the arms.

"WHAT is your job, Arthur Weasley?"

"To protect Molly and my family." Arthur gulped under the intimidating stare of Gideon. "To keep them safe."

"See that you do. And bring help." Gideon said as he and Fabian gave Arthur a tight hug. The twins turned to Molly, who was on the brink of tears.

"It's your job too, you know. I'm your sister." Molly whispered as Fabian wiped a tear that was trickling down her face.

"You're our baby sister," Gideon said with a smile. "And we will always love you, Molly."

"DON'T!" Molly screamed as she pulled away. "Don't talk like that. Like you're not coming back to me. I need you two in my life. You're my family."

"Of course we are, baby sis." Fabian sighed as he pulled her into a hug before planting a kiss on her forehead.

"We won't be going anywhere," Gideon said as he did the same. Molly looked at her brothers before pulling them close, planting a kiss on each of their cheeks. "I love you two, idiots."

"We love you too," Fabian said with a smile as Gideon gave a light chuckle. "Tell our nephews not to stay up too late. We will see them next year."

"Very funny," Molly said as Snape felt a tug on his sleeve. He turned to see Mary giving him a determined look.

"I'm coming with you."

"No, you're not. Mary, you have to go with Molly and Arthur!"

"No!" Mary said stubbornly as she stomped on the ground. "I'm coming with you!"

"It's too dangerous! You have to go with them!"

"No, you were right!" Mary yelled as Snape was taken aback by her tone. "I was a coward. I wanted to run but I see now, I can't leave my friends to die. I can't leave you to die. I want to help. Please Sev, let me help."

Snape stared at Mary before doing the only thing he could think of. He planted a kiss on her lips as Mary, who was initially surprised by his move, embraced him as hard as she could. Releasing her, Snape gave her a smile.

"You're no coward, Mary. But for you to risk your life now would be foolish. Go with them and get to safety. I'll bring our friends back, I promise."

"Okay," Mary replied reluctantly as Snape looked over her shoulder. He could see Fabian whispering to his sister as he passed her a dented watch from his arm. Closer to him were Gideon and Arthur. Gideon had finished removing the blood from a cut on Arthur's hand and placed it in a tiny bottle.

"Could have used my blood. I'm Pureblood too." Gideon chuckled as Arthur shook his head.

"You guys have given enough. I'll bring reinforcements as fast as I can." Arthur said before turning to Snape. "You can do this. I believe in you." Arthur said as he gave Snape a strong hug. He felt Arthur turning his head as he whispered something in his ear.

"Remember, don't hesitate. You got this."

Arthur pulled away as he, Mary and Molly took the cloak to pull over themselves. Before doing so, Snape could see Mary smiling at him as Molly gave her brothers pained looks. He turned to see Fabian and Gideon beaming down at the group.

"Take care of our sister, Arthur," Fabian said as Gideon nodded.

"It's your job now," Gideon spoke. Molly looked as if she were about to protest but Arthur threw the cloak over the three of them. Snape stared at Mary, who looked at him with those sparkling blue eyes and a smile before disappearing from view.

"Okay! Great!" Fabian called out as he motioned towards a door at the back of the building. "Once Gideon and I cause the distraction, you three get the hell out and go as fast as you can! Sev!" Fabian said as he turned to Snape. "Take this blood and put it on your hands. Stay behind us and once you see an opening to the cottage, run like hell. Gideon, go ahead and put the counter-spell on him."

He could hear Gideon whisper some intangible words as a silver flash emerged from his wand and entered Snape's body.

"Good luck," Gideon said with a smile as he and Fabian pointed their wands to a wall. Snape could see Death Eaters waiting outside the building through the window, prepared for anything that could happen. Smearing the blood on his hands, Snape held his breath as he saw Fabian raise three fingers in the air.

3

2

1

"REDUCTO!" cried the twins as the wall of the building exploded.

…

And then, there was chaos. The window he had peeked out earlier had done a great deal in hiding what he was about to see. All around him, Snape could see motionless bodies, burning buildings, and angry Death Eaters as he ran. He could the screams of people piercing through the night, though a silver lining came in the form of two gruff voices as Snape heard the twins sprout vulgarities while battling the Death Eaters.

"It's that all you got, you wankers?!"

"Damn it, Fabian! I thought Death Eaters had more bollocks!"

Snape stifled a grin as he raced towards the cottage, carefully avoiding the view of Death Eaters who had turned their attention towards the two twins. Fabian and Gideon were, miraculously, still alive as they dodged and fired spell after spell, hex after hex, jinx after jinx. So caught up in watching them that Snape nearly missed the two Death Eaters that stood between the fence of the Potter's cottage and himself. Remembering Arthur's words, Snape brandished his wand as he shouted two Stunning Spells. The Death Eaters dropped to the ground as Snape knew he only had seconds before the other Death Eaters turned their attention towards him. He held out his outstretched hand which was coated in blood as he leapt for the fence. Feeling the invisible barrier of the Death Eater's enchantment, Snape froze for a split-second as he feared the counter-spell didn't work, only for relief to flood in as he found the enchantment splitting up before his eyes. So did the other Death Eaters who had now turned to see the barrier, now visible in silver light, shattering as they descended upon the Potters. Snape made a beeline for the door before bursting in.

"WE GOT TO GO! THEY'RE COMING! VOLDEMORT IS COMING!" Snape yelled to the crowded mass of people inside before mayhem ensued.

The number of wizards and witches poured out from the cottage as Snape was shoved aside. He glanced at Moody, whom upon his release, took down three Death Eaters with a wave of his wand. He saw Mrs. Potter scream at him as she pulled him in a hug before finding himself being pushed outside by James and the others. Some of them were screaming questions at him but Snape couldn't care. All that mattered was that they had to get out before Voldemort came.

The entire village soon turned into a battle zone. Spells and curses were traded as the occupants of the Potter house rallied against the Death Eaters. Snape found himself fighting alongside James and Sirius as the rest took part in the fighting as well. All those times under Arthur had allowed for them to become better duellists as they took down many before them. Snape also noted that despite the amount of spells being traded, none of his friends had yet used the Killing Curse. It was during this moment that Snape failed to see a Stunning Spell being aimed towards his stomach. The force of the Spell shot Snape three feet in the air as he collapsed on the ground, groaning in pain and trying not to black out.

"Snape!" cried the voice of someone before he or she had to deal with another Death Eater. Snape stood to his feet as he saw that his wand was no longer in his hands. It was lying several feet away from him in the snow. Before he could make a move, Snape noticed the Death Eater pointing the wand at him. Though he could not see his face through the hood, Snape could feel the glare of the Death Eater upon him.

"You!" the Hooded Man growled as Snape noted the maliciousness of his voice. "You destroyed everything. The Dark Lord will want your head!"

"Tell Voldemort he can go to hell," Snape said as he inched towards his wand. The Death Eater gave a derisive laugh although his wand remained firmly on Snape.

"You think saying his name will throw me off? Do not take me for a fool, Severus." The Hooded Man said as Snape flinched at the mention of his name.

"Who are you?" Snape asked as the Hooded Man shook his head. There was something familiar about his voice.

"Guess you'll never know. Goodbye, Severus." The Hooded Man spoke as he raised his wand. Snape lunged for his wand but before he could utter a spell, he felt his wand being pulled from his hand as the Hooded Man caught it in mid-air.

 _This was it_ Snape thought as he heard the Hooded Man say the words. _I am about to die._

"SEV, NO!"

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Snape saw a flash of green light flying towards him before he felt a tackle on his body. He felt himself being shoved to the snow. He could hear James and Sirius roaring as the Hooded Man disappeared from his sight. Soon, cracking sounds were heard as Snape saw the appearance of Aurors all around him.

"They removed the charms!" someone yelled as Snape saw a wizard Apparating in the distance. Suddenly, Snape heard screaming in the air as someone descended behind him. Turning around, Snape could see Frank crying as he cradled someone in his arms. It was only then did Snape recognise the person who had pushed him. Frank was sobbing as a female figure laid on his lap, her face turned away from Snape as Frank pressed her close to his chest. There was something familiar about her as Frank moved his hands, allowing for a better look at her hair.

Snape froze in horror.

 _Brown curls…_

As Frank sobbed next to his girlfriend, Snape crawled over as he touched the brown curls of Alice Macmillan who laid motionless on the ground with her eyes closed.

 _She's just sleeping_ Snape thought as he stared at her before grabbing her shoulders lightly.

"Wake up, Alice. We have to go! Wake up, Alice." Snape said as he shook her. But Alice's eyes remained closed.

"Sev…"

Snape turned towards James who had his hand on his shoulder. "Sev, she's not sleeping."

"Of course she is!" Snape snapped as he shrugged off James's hand. _Her eyes are shut and she's just lying there, asleep when there's a war going on._ Snape thought angrily as he kept shaking her, as hard as he could.

"Sev…" James whispered again but Snape pushed him away.

"GET OFF ME! WE NEED TO WAKE HER UP!" Snape yelled as he shook her once more. "Wake up, Alice! We have to go!"

"Snape, shut the fuck up!" Frank growled as he glared at Snape.

"Frank!" James yelled as he went towards the boy. Snape could hear Frank protesting furiously James held him back. Snape shook his head at his friends. Didn't they see how stupid they were being?

 _What's their problem? Can't they see that she's asleep?_

"WAKE UP, ALICE!" Snape roared as he touched her face. The snow had her skin quite cold. "Why aren't you waking up?" Snape whispered as he felt tears dripping down his face. He needed to see those blue eyes again. He needed to see them. He _had to!_

 _Open your eyes, Alice_

 _Please wake up._

 _We're supposed to travel the world. Live next to each other. Grow old together. There's so many things that we're supposed to do! I can't do this without you! I just can't! I can't do this without you so for FUCKS' SAKE PLEASE WAKE UP! I need you, Alice! Wake up, Alice!_

 _Alice?_

…

.

.

.

.

 _ **1978**_

It had been a massacre at Godric's Hollow. Snape learned afterwards that the Aurors and Dumbledore had managed to lift the Anti-Apparition charms though they had failed to catch a single live Death Eater. Many had fled upon the appearance of Dumbledore. In the aftermath of the tragedy, many had died as a result of Killing Curses being thrown all about. Among the dead were Fabian and Gideon Prewett whom many witnesses described had taken as many Death Eaters as they could. It took five Death Eaters to take them down. As the memories of the past stopped flowing in, so too had the rain as Snape wiped his face dry once more. He could see James, Sirius and Lily gathered in the distance under a tree as James waved at him. Waving back, Snape gave a sigh before staring back at the white, marble tomb.

"Hey there, Sev."

Nothing but the familiar tone of the voice could have made Snape jump a foot in the air. Turning behind him, Snape was shocked to see a familiar sight of a witch all decked in a familiar white dress that he had seen once before as she smiled at him. Her brown curls shone despite the few rays of sunlight and her blue eyes stared sadly into his. Snape couldn't believe his eyes. He hadn't seen her ever since the night of the tragedy at Godric's Hollow and Snape had feared, for a moment, he would never be able to see her again. He wanted to give her a hug, to reach out to see if she was real or just an apparition but something inside him prevented Snape from doing so.

"Alice…how…what…" Snape started to speak as Alice gave a sad laugh. "Are you always at the loss of words whenever you see me?"

"Only because you're so beautiful." Snape sighed as he smiled at her. He watched a tear roll down her cheek as Alice spoke once more.

"I'm sorry I didn't come sooner. I couldn't wake up and I was so sad, Sev! I couldn't believe…." Alice trailed off as she wept. "I couldn't believe that it was real."

"It's okay," Snape said as he felt his face getting wet once more. "You're here now."

"How are they doing?" Alice said as she motioned towards James, Sirius, and Lily. Snape turned to see the three of them talking under the shelter, paying no heed towards the pair of them who stood before the grave.

"It's hard on them. Hard on everyone."

"Frank?" Alice whispered as Snape nodded.

"Him too."

Alice let out a sigh as she touched the tomb before smiling at the photographs as well as the book that Lily had placed once before. "Alice in Wonderland. That's nice."

"I heard it's your favourite book. You never told me." Snape said, sounding a little disappointed as Alice smiled at him. "There were a lot of things I didn't tell you."

"Like what?" Snape asked but Alice ignored him as she admired the tomb before setting her eyes on the angel. As the mist descended upon the cemetery, Snape noticed that Alice started to look slightly translucent. "Who did that?" Alice asked as she pointed towards the angel.

"Lily." Snape sighed with a smile. "She said that angels watch over us and that's why…"

"That's nice of her," Alice said with a sigh. "Take care of her, Sev. She'll need you as much as you'll need her."

"I need you too," Snape said as Alice sighed before smiling at him.

"I'm always here, Sev," Alice whispered as Snape stared into her blue eyes. There was something he needed to know.

"Alice…is this real? Or is this just happening in my head?"

Alice gave him a strange look.

"Hey!"

Snape turned towards James who patted him on the shoulder while Sirius gave him a strange look.

"Who are you talking to, Snape?"

Snape turned his head around as soon as Sirius spoke. He could see Lily standing next to Alice, glaring at Sirius.

"Very funny, Sirius," Lily said before putting her arms around Alice. "How are you?"

"Had better days." Alice sighed as she embraced Lily while glaring at Sirius. "You're not getting a hug from me."

"Sorry, it's just we hadn't seen you for a few days. Thought you weren't going to come out from your room." Sirius said with hands in the air as James gave a slight laugh.

"I was sleeping, you prat," Alice said with a smirk before embracing Sirius and James with a hug.

"How did you find us, anyway?" Snape asked Alice, who nodded towards Lily.

"I told her the place," Lily said as she turned towards Alice. "This cemetery has so many graves so I just gave her the plot number," Lily spoke as she pointed towards the plot number that was written on the tombstone

 _1978_

"Plot number 1978," James exclaimed as he picked up the Alice in Wonderland book. "I remembered when we came here. Snape couldn't attend her funeral as he was upset so the three of us brought him here the following day." James said as Snape nodded while staring at the tombstone

 _Here lies Eileen Prince. Loving Mother. 1929-1975_

"She was my best friend," Snape spoke as Lily placed a hand on his shoulder. "I was too distraught that day to attend her funeral. Couldn't believe she was dead. She was an angel, my mother. Most people didn't think we were close, given how little they knew of me and her."

"But we do," Lily said as she smiled at her angel. "I met her twice. She used to read fairytales to both Severus and I. That was her favourite book." Lily said as she stared at the book.

"You guys didn't have to come, you know," Snape said as he turned to face his friends. "I just needed some time."

"We didn't want you to be alone, Sev," Sirius said as the rest nodded in agreement. James cleared his throat as he tapped on his watch, a stricken look on his face.

"Guys, it's time. Remus and the rest are waiting for us. We have to go. Sev, you can Side-Along with me if you want." James spoke before staring at the girls. "Lily, Alice, if you're not up to it, Sirius can take you guys."

"We're okay," Lily said as Alice sobbed while Snape watched them disappear along with Sirius.

"You ready, mate?" James whispered as he held his hand.

 _I'll never be ready_ Snape thought as he took one final glance at his mother's tomb before Disapparating with James.

….

.

.

.

 **1977**

"Shake me one more time and I'll kill you."

Snape, James, and Frank gasped in shock at the croaky voice of Alice who squirmed about in the snow before opening her eyes and clutching her head. "Owww…" Alice cried as Snape felt himself being shoved aside by Frank.

"ALICE, YOU'RE ALIVE!" Frank said as he planted kisses on her.

"Of course I'm alive, you prat. Why would you….SEVERUS!" Alice yelled as her eyes snapped open to see Snape staring blankly at her. Alice pushed Frank off as she threw her hands around him.

"What the fuck were you thinking?!" Alice wept as she hugged him. "You could've been killed!"

"YOU could have been _killed_!" Snape replied as he held her as tightly as he could. On his left, Snape could see Frank smiling as he patted Snape on the back while on his right, James was stammering about in confusion.

"Did you survive the Avada Kedavra curse? But it's supposed to be unblockable." James said as he scratched his head. "How could you survive it?"

"I saw the curse fly straight towards you," Frank said as he nodded. "It's a bloody miracle!"

 _There are no miracles_

"Well, I didn't feel anything," Alice said. "All I felt was pushing Snape to the ground."

"The curse is supposed to be painless," James said thoughtfully. "Maybe you sacrificing your life for Severus somehow allowed some sort of protection on you?"

"Maybe…" Alice spoke as she looked behind Snape. Snape turned to look at where the Hooded Man stood. _She should be dead_ Snape thought as he noticed the slowly fading footprints of where the Death Eater was, mere metres away from them.

 _So why isn't she?_

"Guys, do you notice anything weird about the snow there?" Frank pointed at the snowflakes that appeared to be dropping towards the ground in every direction except two metres from where they were. There, Snape could see the snow floating about in mid-air.

"You're right," James said as he made a move towards it.

"Maybe its some sort of magical barrier?" Frank said hopefully as he watched James approach the snow cautiously. "Maybe the curse didn't even touch Alice?"

"You know…it almost seems like…OOMPH!" James yelled as he tripped over something large. Alice gasped as she pointed towards something in the snow.

"It's a foot!" Frank cried as an uneasy feeling rose inside of Snape. He recalled the words that Arthur Weasley had once spoken to all of them.

 _The spell's effectiveness is second to none. No one has survived the Killing Curse and no one can._

 _There are no miracles._

Snape watched as his body froze for a second time as James grabbed the foot before pulling what seemed like a large sheet off something. He could hear Alice screaming in horror as Frank gasped out loud while James appeared as a white as a sheet, clutching at his Invisibility Cloak in his hand.

 _An invisibility cloak won't prevent curses or hexes from having an effect on you_ Arthur Weasley's voice spoke once again inside his head.

Snape crawled on his hands and feet as he reached out to touch the body.

 _Don't you think I've imagine what it would be like to one day, having to look at you, knowing that you're a corpse and that I won't get to see you smile or laugh or cry because you're gone? GONE, SEVERUS. YOU'RE DEAD AND YOU COULD HAVE LIVED!"_

The irony was not lost on Snape as he cradled her head while pushing aside her dirty-blonde hair as he desperately searched for the light that should be emanating from her blue eyes. Yet he found nothing as Snape allowed the darkness and pain to consume him once more as he wept over the cold, lifeless body of Mary McDonald.

…

 **End of Part 5**

 **A/N: I'm sorry.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Apologies for the long update! I've been really busy with a lot of things and haven't had time to write a chapter. This one here has been rewritten literally a dozen times as I kept being dissatisfied with my work. It's tough being a writer! Anyways, I wanted to get this chapter out before the release of FB: The Crimes of Grindelwald and so here it is! Just something to take note. My chapter usually are written in the form of a third-person narrative with focus on Snape but for this chapter, you will hardly see it from his perspective. The reason is because, and this is one of the many reasons why this chapter took so long, it's been a while since I have yet to deal with death. And so, though the initial draft focused on Snape, I decided to change it so as not to do a disservice to his character.**

 **Secondly, just to clear up any misunderstandings, yes, Mary, not Alice, died in the previous chapter. The tomb that Snape was looking at was his mother and the first scene took place after his mother passed away. Alice is still alive (just have to read the second last scene carefully) and yes, Mary is dead. I had to play a bit with the writing format for the previous chapter, especially with regards to the years but not to worry, from now on, the years will be bolded** **and** **italicised. I would like to apologise if this chapter isn't up to par with the others. I wanted to speed up the plot. You'll understand once you've read it. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS, FAVOURITES AND FOLLOWS. KEEP THOSE REVIEWS COMING if you can. I love each and every one of you so much!**

 **Disclaimer: I own not a single property of HP as all of it belongs to Robert Galbraith.**

 **The Importance of Being Snape**

" _Don't be shocked, Severus. How many men and women have you watched die?" – Albus Dumbledore, The Prince's Tale_

 **Chapter 6**

 _ **1978**_

"You have a very nice home, Mrs. McDonald."

Lily gave an internal sigh as soon as the words left her mouth. It wasn't that she didn't mean it, they had been sitting quietly in random awkwardness for the past few minutes and Lily just wanted to break the tension. It was, however, that despite the comfy cottage overlooking the McDonald farm in Keynsham, Lily had a feeling that the McDonalds would no longer consider this a home. Lily took a moment to stare out into the crowd of mourners; all dressed in black, as the funeral in the St John's church had come to a close. Alice and Dorcas both had spent time paying their respects to Mrs. McDonald, who seemed to be at a loss for words. The blank expression on her face was only amplified by her empty and lifeless eyes as she stared down at the coffee table with no movement other than the random trembling of her hand. Patting it gently, Lily made an excuse to walk into the kitchen. She felt a pang of guilt, leaving Mrs. McDonald to grief without saying more than seven words but a part of her knew that no amount of words could ever be enough. Making her way into the kitchen, she noticed both Sirius and Remus talking to Mr. McDonald.

"So are you kids going to go back to school?" Patrick McDonald asked as they welcomed Lily into their conversation.

"Well, the Headmaster did give us some time to grief but honestly, we rather just go back to Hogwarts," Remus said as Sirius nodded.

"How is she?" Patrick said suddenly as he turned towards Lily. Lily hesitated for a moment.

"She's…dealing. Still grieving." Lily spoke as Patrick let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry. She was our only child, you see. Sarah wanted to have more but I told her that raising one child would be enough. That we would raise Mary right and that she'll grow up to have a family of her own one day. How stupid of me." Patrick said bitterly while shaking his head.

"Mary was amazing, Mr. McDonald. You don't have to apologise. We're all still dealing with this." Lily said as Remus and Sirius nodded. Patrick wiped away a tear from his face before giving a bittersweet smile.

"Well, who am I to question God? He does work in mysterious ways. Maybe He loved Mary too much and wanted her back."

"Maybe," Remus added before giving Sirius a pointed look. Sirius's face had turned dark and Lily decided to pull him away before he could say anything. She dragged Sirius into an isolated corner of the room.

"God? God? God didn't take Mary away. Those monsters did!" Sirius growled in a low voice as Lily gave a sigh.

"Yes, they did and we know that. But like Moody said, we have to stick to the original story. Mary died of a brain aneurysm. That's what the autopsy showed."

"After the Order intervened!" Sirius snapped before running his hand through his hair. "I don't understand. Why can't we just tell them that Mary was killed? She died a heroine, Lily, and none of her family knows."

"They don't know because if they did, it would be too much to handle!" Lily whispered back firmly. "Mary's family are all Muggles with the exception of her. Muggles can't know magic exist. Nor do they know about Voldemort. We can't reveal this to them. Think of the consequences! I agree that Mary should be honoured and we will do just that! We will never forget Mary nor let anyone ever forget what she did or who she is but we can't tell them."

Sirius glared at Lily for a moment before letting out a resigned sigh. "This sucks."

"I agree. Where's James?" Lily asked as she looked around the house. She hadn't see James in a while.

"He's out somewhere in the farm, punching things," Sirius said as Lily looked alarmed. "Don't worry. It's just how he deals. Peter and Frank are with him. He blames himself."

"Why?"

"Because if James hadn't invited us to his place, we would all be safe," Sirius replied.

"But that's absurd. How could James possibly know that? It was the Death Eaters and no one else." Lily said as Sirius shook his head.

"You think I don't know that? Or that James doesn't know that? You know how James feels about us."

"I should go talk to him," Lily said as she turned to leave, only for Sirius to grab her hand.

"No," Sirius said firmly. "Right now, James needs to get it out of his system. If you try to reason with him now, you're going to stop the process. Right now, he needs it and that's what Peter and Frank are for. Just let it be."

"You're right." Lily sighed as she gave Sirius a smile. "We all just need to grief. All of us should be venting out."

"Almost all of us are," Sirius said sadly as Lily nodded her head. She knew of whom Sirius was referring to. "Where is he?" Lily asked as Sirius pointed towards the stairs.

"Last I saw, he was heading upstairs."

…..

As Lily walked up the stairs, her thoughts turned towards a lecture she had once heard her mother and father talking about during her young days. There was a Swiss-American psychiatrist named Elisabeth Kubler-Ross who published a book about how one deals with death. In her book, she was inspired by working with terminally ill patients who helped her create a model on the five stages of grief. They were as follows in chronological order, denial, anger, bargaining, depression and finally, acceptance. Although the model did seem to be focused on people who were dying, it could be used for other forms of grief such as for those going through a break-up, financial difficulties and in her case, dealing the loss of a loved one.

Each member of their clique had reached subsequent stages. Though they were talked and chatted as they normally would, often using humour to mask their pain, Lily could see that everyone was still coming to terms with Mary's death. Lily recalled how she herself had flown in a rage while arguing with Dumbledore on the Order's decision not to reveal the cause of death for Mary. The Prewetts themselves were to be given a huge send-off with many members of the magical community singing praises about them, heralding them as heroes and yet Mary was to be buried in the local cemetery with her sacrifice unknown to many of whom loved her. Lily wiped the tears that had been dripping down her face as she reached Mary's room.

 _Where else would he be_ Lily thought as she composed herself. Despite many attempts at trying to gauge his status, Snape had been as silent as Mrs. McDonald ever since they Apparated from his mother's grave to Mary's funeral. As Lily raised her fist to knock on the door, a former memory of when she and Alice visited Mary at her home entered her mind. Lily pushed against the pain, not wanting to break down like Alice did during the funeral as Dorcas brought her back home.

"Sev?" Lily said as she knocked and pushed the door open. She could see him sitting on Mary's bed as he held a cassette tape in his hand. Lily could see him staring at the tape as he fiddled with it in his hand.

"Sev?" Lily called out again as she sat next to him. Snape turned to face her as he gave her a bittersweet smile while holding up the cassette tape.

"She loved listening to music," Snape said as he handed the tape to Lily who read off the label.

"Elton John?"

"Yeah. It was either Elton John or Bob Dylan. Those are her favourite singers." Snape said as he stretched his hands. "I recall how she used to sing Tiny Dancer to me."

"Good song." Lily agreed as she handed the tape back to Snape. Lily gazed out across the room. Mary had always been fairly neat with her books stacked neatly on the shelves while a cupboard next to her bed displayed all her music cassettes and vinyl records. At her desk, Lily could see her mirror littered with pictures of her and all of them. Lily stood up and walked towards the mirror. She held up one of the photographs which had a picture of her, Alice and Mary on their first day at Hogwarts inside the dormitory as they sat on Alice's bed eating Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. She could see the three girls in the photographs waving to the camera and laughing at Alice who had gone green in the face as a result of a vomit-flavoured bean.

 _She's gone_ , _Lily_

Lily sighed as she turned towards Snape.

"I miss her, Sev. I miss her so much."

Snape got off the bed and pulled Lily into a warm hug. About a minute into the warm embrace, Lily tried to stifle a laugh.

"What?" Snape asked as Lily pulled herself away.

"I came up here to comfort you and yet you're the one comforting me," Lily replied softly as Snape turned away from her.

"I'm okay, Lily. You don't have to worry about me."

"But I do worry about you, Sev. You're my friend."

"I appreciate what you want to do for me, Lily," Snape replied gently as he sat back on the bed. "But really, I'm dealing with it on my own."

"All of us are dealing with it, Sev." Lily insisted as she sat next to him. "But I just don't want you to deal with her death alone. You need to vent, to cry."

"I did cry." Snape reminded her as she saw him the first time James, Frank, Alice, and Snape first approached the group with the horrifying news.

"Yes, but since then, you've bottled yourself up." Lily sighed as she placed her hand on his lap.

"Maybe because I'm questioning things," Snape replied as he moved his lap away. "Like answer me this, Lily. Why didn't Mary fire a spell at the Hooded Man? Why didn't she tackle him? Why did she jump in front of the curse, knowing full well that she would die?"

"I can't give you an answer to that, Sev," Lily said as she gauged his reaction. "But I know she did it to protect you and Alice."

"And who was that Hooded Man?" Snape said as he paced around the room. "How did he know who I was?"

Lily hesitated for a moment. Part of her wanted to bring Snape back to Mary's death and coax some anguish out of him and yet, Lily recalled what Sirius had said about giving James what he needed. Perhaps this was what Snape needed.

"Well…" Lily said as she gave the question some thought. "I would guess that the Hooded Man probably knew who you were because he was a newly-formed Death Eater that would have been around ever since you first came to Hogwarts. Did he sound old or young to you?"

"Definitely older than me. Or even my age but not younger." Snape said as his face grimaced at the thought.

"Well, that's something to go on at least," Lily said as she resigned the thought of Mary's killer to the back of her head. They had nothing to go on, after all. The Order would do an investigation but Lily saw it hitting a dead-end. "Besides, it's not just the Death Eater that's responsible for Mary's death. He was just following orders."

"Yes, he was!" Snape said as Lily frowned at his face lighting up. "Remember what I told you guys? About the artefact that the Death Eaters were looking for?"

"Yes and we told Moody. He said that it would be insane for a Death Eater to want to attack Godric's Hollow, looking for an artefact of Gryffindor. Dumbledore seems to agree with him."

"Why is it insane?"

Lily took a deep breath. "Because the biggest irony for such a well-known and immensely powerful wizard like Godric Gryffindor is that he is an intensely private person. The only known artefact of his would be the Sorting Hat and that's all everyone seems to know. Gryffindor didn't leave any artefacts behind and his lineage is thought to have been lost so there's no family that could possibly have any of his relics."

"We could ask his portrait," Snape said referring to the portrait of Gryffindor which was located at the seventh-floor landing of Hogwarts.

"It doesn't speak, remember. It's just a portrait." Lily said as Snape let out a frustrated sigh.

"Well, why would Voldemort ask his Death Eaters to find Gryffindor's relic? It doesn't make sense. Maybe Gryffindor had something of Slytherin since the two were close friends once? But it still doesn't answer the question. What would Voldemort want of Gryffindor?"

Lily walked over towards Snape. "Sev…"

"I got it!" Snape said as he clapped his hands. "Maybe Gryffindor has an artefact that can destroy Voldemort! Or an artefact that can give Voldemort immense power! Either way, it would make sense."

Lily shook her head. "No, it doesn't, Sev, that's why Dumbledore and Moody aren't taking it too seriously. Look, let's say there was an artefact that Voldemort badly wanted at Godric's Hollow. Why risk an attack when there are other ways? The Imperius Curse? Using Polyjuice Potion?"

"An attack would mask the real reason, Lily!" Snape countered. "No one was supposed to know about their true intentions but Gideon did! To everyone else, this would just be an ordinary attack and all the Death Eaters that were caught killed themselves before anyone could absorb any information. No one was supposed to leave James's cottage, remember?"

"You're grasping at straws, Sev!"

"No, I'm not!"

"You're just trying to figure out a reason for all of this instead of dealing with the real issue."

"And what is that?" Snape said hotly as Lily glared at him.

"That Mary is dead."

Lily watched as Snape looked ready to snap. She had carefully said out the words, hoping to trigger a large emotional response from Snape. Perhaps she would be fortunate enough for him to scream or yell at her. Whatever Snape's response was, she could take it.

 _Do it for Sev_ Lily reminded herself. However, instead of shouting, Snape walked back towards the bed before lying down. Surprised that he hadn't taken out his anger towards her, Lily sat beside Snape.

"You're right," Snape said as he looked at her. Lily said nothing, giving Snape the chance to speak.

"It doesn't matter if Voldemort wants an artefact of Gryffindor. There's nothing beside the Hat."

Lily stifled an internal scream of frustration. Apparently, coaxing an emotional response from Snape is more tedious that she thought. Lying down next to him, Lily relaxed her shoulders as she turned to face Snape, who had his eyes shut.

"Sev, I know you want answers. I wish I could give them to you. But I can't. No one can. There's very little artefacts that belonged to the four founders that still exist today. Most of them are lost, Sev. Gone forever. And there's no one around who can tell you where they are. Even if there was another artefact of Gryffindor still around, nobody has seen it in living memory."

Snape's eyes flew open as he sat up suddenly, startling Lily in the process.

"Lily, you're a genius! We have to get back to Hogwarts as soon as possible!"

"Why?"

"There's someone whom I need to see."

"Who?" Lily asked as she gave Snape a curious stare.

"Nick," Snape said as he grinned at Lily whose eyes widen in realisation.

….

James tapped on his foot impatiently as he watched Lily and Snape converse with Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington or Nearly Headless Nick as he was affectionately called. Nick had been the Gryffindor House Ghost for many decades now and according to Snape and Lily, Nick might have been around during the time of Gryffindor though James couldn't recall ever asking how old Nick might be. James sighed as he watched his ex-girlfriend and his brother-like friend conversing deeply with Nick as he fiddled with his wand. Ever since Mary's funeral, James was still trying to come to terms with his friend's death. It was his cloak, his home, his village where she had died, after all. Even though he wasn't as close to Mary as he was to Lily or Alice, James couldn't help but feel a sense of protectiveness towards his friends.

 _And I failed_ James thought as he pushed down the painful memory of staring in disbelief at Mary's corpse away from his mind. Seeing Mary dead before his eyes had reminded James that despite all his strengths, he was still very much vulnerable. And James hated that. He hated the idea of not being in control, not relying on his skills and talents to save the day. As he stared at Nick, James wondered if he should ask Nick about death. Would it hurt? What happens next? Where does one go? Is there a God or is there nothing, nothing at all?

"James!"

James pulled himself away from his thoughts, grateful for the distraction away from the questions that were throbbing against his mind. He looked to see Lily call out to him.

"What is it?" James asked as he walked over to the pair.

"We need to go see the Grey Lady," Lily said as Snape nodded. "She, together with a few ghosts, lived during the time of the four founders. She might be able to tell us about Gryffindor."

"Why her?"

"Because, well, it either her or the Fat Friar who was taught by Helga Hufflepuff or the Bloody Baron who scares the hell out of me," Lily replied.

"And besides," Snape said as he shared a knowing look with Lily. "The Grey Lady isn't just someone who lived during the time of the founders. She was the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw."

"Seriously?!" James gasped. "The Rowena?"

"Yeah. Helena Ravenclaw, that's who she is. Nick told us. I need the map, James." Snape said as James tossed him the map. Scanning his black eyes across the map, Snape gave a hoot of joy as he pointed towards a part of it.

"She's on the seventh-floor corridor! Come on!" Snape said as he took off towards the staircases. Lily and James exchanged a look before taking after him.

"So, how is he?" James asked as they ran behind Snape up the stairs.

"He's…distracting himself," Lily said as she cast a sympathetic look towards her best friend. "All he's been obsessed about is finding out about Voldemort's need for a Gryffindor artefact."

"Well, it's good that he has you," James said before screeching to a halt. The three of them were now trying to pry their way through the throngs of students who were walking outside the corridor.

"He has all of us." Lily sighed as she dodged a third-year student carrying a pile of books. "But Snape's closed up, James. He won't talk about Mary at all."

"Not even to Alice?" James whispered as he greeted some of his friends along the way.

"That's what strange," Lily said as they wandered into a more isolated part of the corridor. "I think he's avoiding her."

Before James could ask why, Snape shouted loudly as he ran towards a pale and transparent ghost drifting serenely by the side of a window. James couldn't help but notice just how beautiful Helena Ravenclaw looked as she floated to a stop upon Snape calling out to her. For a moment, James wondered if Helena could actually speak. She had seemed rather timid as compared to the other more boisterous spirits.

"Helena, we need your help," Snape said as Lily and James caught up to him.

"My help?" Helena said in a tone that could be fittingly described as haunting.

"Yes. We need to ask you about Godric Gryffindor." Snape said as Helena gave him a strange look.

"What do you wish to know about Godric? Surely Nicholas could be of assistance to you."

"Well, Nick wasn't born during the time of Gryffindor," Lily said as she took a step closer towards the Grey Lady. "We need someone who was present when Gryffindor was still alive."

"To what reason?"

"We want to know if there was an artefact that Gryffindor may have possessed that can still be found today. Any object of value, perhaps?" Snape asked as the Grey Lady floated back and forth on the spot.

"Again, young Gryffindor, to what reason?"

James could see Snape hesitating for a moment. Not wanting Snape to have to explain the events of the horrific night, James gave Helena a brief explanation as to what had happened at Godric's Hollow. For a moment, James paused on mentioning Mary's death before recalling the funeral and the aneurysm story used to hide the true circumstances of her death. Angered at the thought of having her story hushed, James revealed the truth while staring at his two friends. Snape's face carried a blank expression though Lily's was a mixture of concern as well as pride as to what one of her best friends had done for them. There was a long pause as Helena floated about with a frown on her face as if she was deliberating if the three that stood before her were telling the truth.

"Did you say that He Who Must Not Be Named was looking for something of Gryffindor's?"

"Yes. Can you please help us?" Lily pleaded.

"I'm afraid I have little to offer. Only two relics of Godric remain." Helena said in a passive voice as the three exchanged looks with each other. _Two!_

"The first is, of course, the Sorting Hat and you know where that one resides. The other known relic would have to be the Sword of Gryffindor." Helena spoke as her eyes lit up at the mere mention of the artefact. "Made from pure silver and inset with rubies, the sword is enchanted due to the makers being goblin-made with specifications by Ragnuk the First. It is truly a special sword."

"What makes it so special?"

"The silver in the sword allows it to imbibe substances which strengthen it. Quite a powerful tool, if one wishes to wield it. Other than that, it is but a sword, though a very, very good one. Godric used the sword to vanquish many a foe, especially those of Muggle origin as he felt using his magic would be an unfair and dishonourable advantage."

"But what would…Vo…You-know-who wish with a sword? It doesn't make sense." Snape said as he exchanged looks with Lily and James. James had to agree. What would an all-powerful wizard like Voldemort want with a sword? Wizards hardly used anything but wands to duel and Voldemort hardly seemed like the guy who would use a sword to give someone a fighting chance.

"I'm sorry, but you mention that he destroyed a village in order to retrieve an artefact of Gryffindor?" Helena asked with her expression of uneasiness not lost on the three.

"Yes, he must have thought it would be a good place to start looking for the sword."

"Impossible." Helena cried. "Godric would have never allowed the sword to get that far. The last I heard…but… no, it couldn't be…"

"Wait, so if the sword wasn't at Godric's Hollow, why then would the Death Eaters go there?" James asked.

"Maybe he's looking for something else," Snape said thoughtfully. "Maybe some other artefact of Gryffindor's. Helena, is there any other artefacts that may still reside at the Hollow?"

The mention of the word "other" had made the Grey Lady rather distressed. The trio exchanged looks with one another.

"Helena," said Lily, the first to speak. "Is there something you wish to tell us?"

Helena hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Nothing. Ignore me." The Grey Lady attempted to float away, only to be cut off by Snape.

"Helena please." Snape pleaded as he tried to search her eyes. "You know something."

"Our friend just died," James added as he stood next to Snape. "We're in a war right now and soon all three of us will be at the frontlines. If there's anything, anything you can tell us that might help us, we would very much appreciate it. Helena, please. We need you. Anything you tell us would be of great use."

"You're almost as charming as he was, though not quite," Helena said as she studied James.

"As charming as who was?" Lily said. Helena let out a wail as she flew past them suddenly. Not wasting a second, all three gave chase to the Ravenclaw ghost.

"Helena, please!" Snape called out.

"Tell us!" Lily shouted.

"It's my fault!" James yelled as Helena came to a sudden stop. She turned to face James. James glanced at his friends, both of whom were sporting confused looks.

"She wasn't supposed to be there but I asked her to come. Mary's death is on me. It's my fault." James said as Lily shook her head while Snape looked about ready to burst, only to compose himself at the last second before shooting James a concerned look.

"It's not your fault, James! It's Voldemort!" Lily said as she placed her hand on his shoulder.

"You said his name," Helena spoke, her voice a mixture of fear and awe.

"We all do, Helena," James replied as he stared back at the ghost. "We won't let fear control us. He took our best friend away from us. We need to make things right. To make him pay."

Helena took a long moment, studying their faces as she wrestled with her choice of revealing what she knew. Deciding that she could trust them, Helena floated towards the three, her face streaking tears as she spoke.

"He was always so charming back then…if I had known what he would become…" Helena stammered as she spoke. James sat and listened as Helena revealed the story of her mother's diadem and how she had stolen it before she was killed for it.

"And that's how it started. He asked for it, you see."

"Who's he?" Lily asked.

"Tom Riddle." Helena spat, though her face held a clear expression of fear. "He was a student here about thirty years ago."

"I mean no offense, Helena, but what has this got to do with us?" Snape said as James nodded in agreement.

Helena sighed before staring at them.

"Tom Riddle was his name back then. Now, I believe you all know him as someone else. Someone completely different. Someone whose name is feared among the magical community."

"Who?" Lily asked

Helena glowered at the three of them. "You know who."

…..

"Thanks again, Arthur," James spoke as Sirius looked around the room. It had been another intensive training session. Though many were reluctant to continue with the lessons, Snape and James had urged the group to continue with the training. Not that Sirius minded, of course. Ever since Mary's funeral, he was determined to make those bastards pay. They were all going to war, for Merlin's sake. As James and the rest said their goodbyes to Arthur, Sirius couldn't help but chuckle at their persistence of forcing Arthur to leave. He understood why. Things had changed drastically for the group ever since James, Snape, and Lily had informed them of what they knew several weeks ago. Sirius watched as Arthur apparated from sight.

"Oh, let's get to it then," Lily spoke as everyone gathered around Snape. Snape cast a spell on an old, worn-out box, transfiguring it into the whiteboard that stood before them. On it were several pieces of parchment and stickers, along with strings, detonating their progress on Tom Riddle, whom Sirius was shocked to learn was not only Lord Voldemort himself, but was a student at Hogwarts, no less.

"Remus has an update," Snape said as everyone turned to Lupin.

"Well, I found something interesting about Tom. Apparently, back in 1943, Tom was awarded an Award for Special Services to the School. I asked around and you'll never guess who tells me about Tom?"

"Who?" Peter asked.

"Hagrid," Remus said with a light chuckle as Sirius nearly dropped from his chair. Rubeus Hagrid was the gamekeeper at Hogwarts and was, by all accounts, a jolly and wonderful person. Often, he would look the other way whenever the Marauders were up to their pranks and his hut had served as a refuge countless times away from the professors seeking to punish them.

"Hagrid?!" James said as others started to chat amongst themselves.

"Yes, Hagrid," Remus replied as the rest quietened down. "Apparently, in 1943, Hagrid was falsely accused of letting loose a beast inside Hogwarts which hurt several people and even let to the death of one. Tom was the guy who told on Hagrid."

"Typical." Sirius spat. "Voldemort the tattle-tale."

"Wait…hold up…a beast?" Alice asked. Remus exchanged a look with Dorcas, no doubt already telling his girlfriend what he knew.

"Back in 1943, the Chamber of Secrets was presumed to have been found and opened," Remus said as he elaborated on the story of how Hagrid was accused of opening the Chamber and allowing a beast to escape. Sirius listened intently as Dorcas went on to explain the legend of the Chamber and how it was said that Salazar Slytherin created a chamber to house a monster that would purge the school of all Muggle-borns.

"I got all that from Binns," Dorcas said as she finished her story.

"I'm willing to bet a thousand Galleons that Tom opened that Chamber," James exclaimed as others nodded in agreement.

"But that's the part that bothers me," Dorcas said as she gazed at the group. "Binns said that only the Heir of Slytherin could open that Chamber."

"So?" Sirius remarked. "Voldemort the Heir of Slytherin? Why am I not surprised?"

"But that's just it. Slytherin was pure-blood and if Tom was the Heir of Slytherin and went to Hogwarts, it would mean that his last name would reflect one of the Sacred 28th Pureblood families. Riddle isn't one of them." Dorcas replied.

"This would mean that he's a half-blood." Snape reasoned as everyone turned to him. "His mother must have descended from one of the twenty-eight Pureblood families."

"But which one?" Peter asked.

"It's not Black if anyone's wondering," Sirius said out loud, earning a chuckle from James and a strange look on Snape's face.

"Guys, not to rain on your parade, but so what if Voldemort is a half-blood or that he came to Hogwarts?" Frank asked as everyone turned to him. "What's the point of all of this?"

"Well, like Arthur said to us, it's important to know our enemies, Frank," Lily replied as she walked over towards the whiteboard. "We know that Voldemort is Tom. We know that Tom sought out Ravenclaw's diadem as well as Gryffindor's sword. What we don't know is why? Even though these objects are enchanted, they hardly add anything of value towards Tom. Yet, he sends a whole barrage of Death Eaters into Godric's Hollow. Why?"

Everyone remained silent for the moment as Sirius could see each of them trying to work out a reason. Eventually, James broke the silence.

"We should go see Dumbledore. He can tell us more."

"I thought you had something against Dumbledore, mate?" Sirius said as James shook his head.

"Not anymore, I don't. We're all on the same side and quite frankly, we need all the help we can get. Dumbledore's been in this school for ages. If anyone can help us, it's him. I'm going to go see him. Anyone want to come with me?"

As the group debated on telling Dumbledore and their theories for why Voldemort would want artefacts from the founders, Sirius felt a pat on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Snape motion him towards an isolated part of the Shrieking Shack.

"What's up, Sev?"

"I've been thinking," Snape whispered warily as he studied Sirius. "Even if Dumbledore could help us, we would probably still be in the dark about Voldemort's true intentions. When you said that Voldemort couldn't be a Black, it gave me an idea. What we need is someone to help us spy on Voldemort. Someone who could tell us more."

"If only we had someone like that," Sirius said as Snape sighed.

"We do, Sirius. I would communicate with him using my Galleon but he threw his away. He could help us."

It only took a moment for Sirius to realise of whom Snape was speaking. Sirius glowered at Snape.

"Are you nuts?! I'm not talking to that traitor." Sirius growled as Snape stared determinedly at him.

"We need his help, Sirius. I know you think that Regulus is lost to us because he became a Death Eater but I believe he is a good guy. You're his brother."

"Sev, I know you believe that there's some good in everyone and all that Dumbledore sack of shit but let's face it. He's a Death Eater. He's part of the group that tried to kill us! That killed Mary."

Upon mentioning Mary's name, Sirius felt a twinge of guilt at seeing the pained expression cross over Snape's face before the latter composed himself once more.

"I'm sorry, Sev."

"Please, Sirius." Snape pleaded. "You won't have to say anything. I'll write the letter. You told me of how you have one of those Black crest stamps in your possession. If we paste that crest on the envelope, I doubt that anyone would suspect a thing."

"No, there has to be a better way," Sirius replied as Snape shook his head.

"This is the best way and you know it."

"But why? We can get all the information we need from Dumbledore or through research. Why must we talk to Regulus? How can we even trust him? How can I even trust him?!" Sirius replied as Snape said nothing. Sirius felt his anger start to rise.

"He's a Death Eater, Snape. I used to think that back when I rebelled against my parents with Muggle posters and all sort of things, I was just living up to my name as the black sheep. But now? Now, I see that they're monsters. They're all monsters, Severus! Monsters who hunt and kill people. Innocent people like Mary and here I am, having been born out of blood into a family who supports the killing of innocent people. Regulus made his deal with the devil, Sev. I want no part of it."

"Sirius, if we don't write that letter, we might never know what Tom is really up to. We need information and Regulus can give us that. I know you guys hate each other and were never really close but he's not as cut and dry as you make him out to be. I know Regulus. He would be appalled if he learnt of Mary's death. Please, Sirius, help me write to him. Do it for me."

Sirius groaned as he paced back and forth in front of Snape. If it had been anyone else asking for that…

"Okay. I'll give you the crest later. But just this once and don't get your hopes up. If anything, he would probably show the letter to Voldemort himself."

"I trust him," Snape said as he gave Sirius a pat on his back. "Thank you, Sirius."

"Are you okay, Sev?" Sirius asked as he gave Severus a concerned look. "You've been awfully busy on this Voldemort business."

"I'm dealing with it," Snape said in a polite yet firm tone which signified that he would not elaborate on it further. To his credit, Sirius did not push and instead went back to join the group, only to be accosted halfway by Alice.

"What does Severus want with you?" Alice asked as Sirius told her everything.

Alice sighed. "Okay, I thought…did he…did he say anything about me? Anything at all?"

"No," Sirius replied as he gave Alice a curious stare. "Why are you asking me for, anyway? Go and ask him."

"I have, but, ever since we came back to Hogwarts, it's like Severus has been avoiding me. You sure he didn't say anything about me?"

"Not a word," Sirius replied as he stared at Snape who was staring at the whiteboard. "I'm sure it's just him dealing. Don't worry about it. He'll come around, eventually." Sirius said as he walked over towards his friends, leaving Alice to ponder about his words.

….

Remus walked towards the wall of Dumbledore's office, his head still reeling from the memories of the Pensieve. Upon informing Dumbledore of what they knew, he had informed them all that he knew of the man known as Voldemort as well as shown them two memories, one of himself upon visiting Tom at the orphanage where he was raised and the other of Bob Ogden and the story behind the family from which Voldemort came from. Remus recalled staring into Merope Gaunt's eyes and wondering how she would feel if she knew she had conceived the darkest sorcerer ever to have walked on this Earth. Gaps were soon filled with Dumbledore telling them on how Tom had behaved while he was at Hogwarts and how Dumbledore continued to keep tabs on him after.

"Did you know, Headmaster, what Tom would have become?" James asked as Remus exchanged a look with Sirius. Next, to James, Snape was pacing about while Peter stood in a corner, admiring Fawkes.

"No, though I did suspect that he was on a dark path, I never thought he would have become Lord Voldemort." Dumbledore sighed as his blue eyes twinkled slightly under the wavy flame of the candlestick in front of him.

"Hope you don't mind me saying, sir, but it seems like quite an awful lot of trouble you put in, keeping tabs on one student, especially with that Bob Ogden and Morfin Gaunt memories," Sirius said, in a tone that signified to Remus that he was still a little wary of Dumbledore's motives. Dumbledore chuckled as he gave Sirius one of his famous, comforting smiles.

"Well, I supposed I have to be honest. The Gaunts have always fascinated me, especially with their ties to other old wizarding families. I admit, there were other reasons for me researching on the Gaunts."

"Such as what, sir?"

"I was searching for something," Dumbledore said. Before anyone could say another word, Dumbledore held up his hand. "However, it has nothing pertaining to Voldemort whatsoever so let us move forward."

Dumbledore stood from his desk and walked in front of the boys. Remus felt slightly intimidated as he stared up at the tall wizard, whose wizened old face and tired yet twinkling blue eyes emanated an aura of wisdom and power behind them.

"So what have we learnt about Tom?"

"That he was a murderer." James spat as Sirius nodded. "He killed his entire family out of revenge and framed Morfin for it."

"The murder is secondary." Snape blurted out as all eyes stared at him. "He wanted the ring. Sir, you mentioned that Tom wore the ring back during his school days?"

"Yes, I did and please, everyone, call me Albus. You all are of age, after all." Dumbledore said while giving a warm smile to the group. "You are, quite right, Severus. No one would bother with theft, not while the person who lost the item was accused of murder. But here is something interesting. Not long after he left Hogwarts, I met Tom once more. He was no longer wearing it as proudly as he did back when he was younger."

"How's that interesting?" Sirius questioned.

"Well, you all know by now, the type of character Tom is. He enjoys displaying his power and that ring, coming down from a long line of Pureblood families all the way back to Slytherin, would have represented that. Yet why not wear it?"

"Maybe he lost it?" Peter said hopefully as James scoffed at the idea.

"He's protecting it," Snape said as everyone turned to him. "He must have kept it somewhere safe. But why?"

"Why indeed?" Dumbledore sighed before smiling at them once more. "But then something else of interest happened to me recently. After James here informed me that Tom sought out Ravenclaw's diadem, I went on a mission to seek out a house –elf by the name of Hokey."

"Why?" Remus asked as Dumbledore removed another bottle of silvery liquid.

"Could you just tell us?" Peter stammered as he held his head. "I don't think I can take another memory."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Very well, Mr. Pettigrew. Well, you see, Hokey was the house elf to one, Hephzibah Smith, an avid collector on antiquities who had in her possession two items that she prized above any other. Helga Hufflepuff's cup, whom she claimed was her ancestor, as well as…Salazar Slytherin's locket."

"Wait, the same locket that belonged to Marvolo Gaunt?" James said as Dumbledore nodded.

"The very same. One day, Hokey, being of old age and forgetfulness, accidentally fed her mistress poison instead of sugar and was convicted of murder herself. There was nothing out of the ordinary about the case except that, upon further review, it was found that two items of Hephzibah's collection were missing. I'm sure you can guess which ones."

No one said anything as Dumbledore continued to speak.

"Prying into Hokey's memory, I obtained a memory of Hephzibah entering Borgin and Burkes, where she befriended a worker there, who charmed her and of whom she revealed her two priceless treasures. You can also guess, by now, who that worker was."

"Voldemort," James whispered.

"Yes, Tom was working at Borgin's and Burke's and from there, Hephzibah invited him back to her house to show him her treasures in which he undoubtedly took from her but not before killing her and planting a false memory on Hokey. Unfortunately, reverting a false memory from an elf can prove quite tricky and I'm saddened to say that Hokey was never exonerated from the crime she did not commit."

"So he's got something of Hufflepuff, something of Ravenclaw, two items from Slytherin and now he seeks the sword of Gryffindor," Snape spoke in a loud whisper. "Not only that, but he's willing to kill and destroy anyone who gets in his way. But why these items? Does the cup have any magical properties?"

"Nothing of which would benefit Lord Voldemort greatly," Dumbledore replied though Remus could tell he was impressed with Snape's deduction skills.

"But why these items though?" Sirius asked.

"They're trophies." James blurted out after giving Sirius's question some thought. "He's collecting trophies."

"Indeed, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore replied. "The question that remains, however, is why. However, I'm afraid, as of right now, all we have are theories. This is why I would like to implore to all of you as well as the rest of your friends, to let the matter rest temporarily. Your NEWTs are coming in a few weeks, I believe."

James and Sirius let out a groan as Remus himself felt like doing the same. Their examinations hardly seemed important at a time like this.

"Yes, Albus, we will," Snape said, surprising everyone as they turned to face him. Snape was the last person Remus expected who would follow Dumbledore's suggestion. He had been working non-stop on Voldemort matters for the past few weeks.

"Albus, if I may," Snape said as he took a step forward. "I was wondering if you could allow me access to the Restricted Section of the library."

"Why, may I ask, would you want access?"

"I'm currently working on a project on charms and spells and I would need access to the books available in the library."

Remus sucked in a breath. It was such a blatant and obvious lie. Remus turned to Dumbledore, whom he could see had seen through Snape's request although the Headmaster appeared to be wrestling with his thoughts. A smile broke out on Albus Dumbledore's face as he nodded before writing out a library pass on a parchment for Snape to use. Saying their goodbyes, the five of them exited Dumbledore's office. As soon as they emerged into the corridor, James turned to face Snape.

"What was that all about?" James asked. "Why do you need access to the Restricted Section of the Library?"

"Because… I have a feeling that Voldemort isn't just collecting trophies. You heard what Dumbledore said about the ring. He took it off and he means to protect it. But why? Maybe these items have a powerful charm on them that we don't know of. Maybe the founders cast some sort of spell on them. All I know is that the answers I seek are in the Restricted Section. Besides, if Tom came to this school, it would mean that he would most likely have tried to enter the Section as well. Maybe that's where we will find answers." Snape said hastily as James exchanged looks with the rest of them.

"Fine but you aren't going alone. Remus, you go with him." James replied before the pair of them parted ways with the rest. As they were walking towards the library, Remus stared at Snape. He looked more dishevelled than ever, his hair appearing greasy as the two wizards walked towards the library at a brisk pace.

"Don't say it," Snape said without looking at Remus.

"What am I going to say?" Remus asked.

"I'm doing okay. Sometimes, I just wish you guys would all just back off." Snape snapped.

"We're just worried about you, Severus. You've been so busy with all of this, I don't even think you studied for your NEWTs!"

"What's the point of taking exams if Voldemort is going to take over the world?!" Snape cried exasperatedly.

"It's not just exams, Sev. You haven't even talked about Mary, once. Everyone is trying to reach you, especially Alice." Remus said gently before Snape rounded up on him.

"Not everything is about Alice, Remus! So why don't you just back off!" Snape snarled as he glared at Remus. Remus watched as his friend stared at him with such fury that his body appeared to shake. "Mary's gone, Remus! Mary's gone and she's never coming back. At least, this way, I can help to avenge her death by doing something about it. You want to help me? Then stop asking questions you already know the answer too! Tell Alice to back off as well! For Merlin's sake!" Snape roared before walking towards the library. Remus took off after him only to stop after a few steps as Snape came to a halt.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…" Snape replied softly as an apologetic look appeared on his face. "It's just…I just….I need to do this, Remus."

Remus nodded, not wanting to upset Snape further. "It's okay, Sev. I rather take you shouting at me than keeping it all inside. I just want you to know that…you're not alone, Sev. We're all here for you."

Snape said nothing as he nodded. Remus let out a sigh as the two wizards walked in silence towards the Hogwarts Library.

….

Regulus sat between the shelves of the Malfoy Library. He crumpled the letter in his hand as soft tears trickled down his face. Mary was dead. Even though he had heard of the attack on Godric's Hollow, it was a small comfort to him that he had no connection with the dead.

 _Until now_ Regulus thought as he recalled Snape's words in his letter informing him of Mary's demise. Even though he hadn't spoken to Mary nor knew her in any way, the thought of Snape losing someone so close to him had hurt him as well. The walls he had placed up to try and convince himself that he was fighting for the right cause was crumbling bit by bit as they have been ever since he became a Death Eater. Each day, Regulus had to put on a front and laugh as his fellow Death Eaters spoke about death and torture as if they were merely discussing about Quidditch yet his conscience had been weighing down on him. With every news of a dead or tortured victim, Regulus's guilt began to build and so he often found himself hiding in the library, a refuge away from the horrors that his choices had pushed him into. Pulling himself together, Regulus focused on the other part of the letter as Snape had written in detail about the things they had discovered about Voldemort.

 _Ravenclaw's diadem? Slytherin's locket and ring? Hufflepuff's cup?_ Regulus shook his head as the thoughts came pouring in. "Not to mention, opening the Chamber of Secrets," Regulus whispered to himself, unable to wrap around the idea that the Chamber existed, let alone being opened by none other than his Dark Lord. Regulus left the sanctuary of the shelves as he made his way slowly towards the old and battered book that Malfoy had kept displayed under its many protective wards.

"What are you?" Regulus asked as he stared at the book with the dark, grey cover. Malfoy had made it clear that it belonged to the Dark Lord and yet, Regulus wondered, what made it so special.

"Admiring it, I see," Lucius said as Regulus turned around to see the young, blonde wizard enter the room with a smirk on his face.

"Was just wondering what it was," Regulus said as he made his way to one of the chairs. Lucius gave Regulus a smirk as he poured himself a glass of Firewhiskey.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Lucius said as he took a swig before placing the glass down on the desk.

"There's no need for it. All you know is the Dark Lord wished you to keep it safe." Regulus said as he stared at the book. Lucius gave him a strange look as if he wished to say more before nodding his head.

"Anyways, today's the day. The final day of the Hogwarts term. This can only mean good news for us." Lucius said as he clapped his hands. "More recruits."

Regulus felt a pang in his heart. He would be ready to enter his final term, next year, if he had continued with his studies. His worries would have been about Quidditch, NEWTs and what career path he was suited for. _Wishful thinking_ Regulus thought bitterly as he nodded his head.

"Hogwarts. How I hated it there." Lucius said suddenly as his eyes glared at the fireplace. "Don't get me wrong, Regulus, I did have some good times but to be under that wretched Headmaster and his band of Muggle-loving policies, it makes me sick."

"Yeah, almost makes you wish you could do something about it," Regulus said as a thought entered his head. "Like opening the Chamber of Secrets or something."

Lucius nearly spat his drink as he stared at Regulus.

"Are you okay?" Regulus asked, feinting concern.

"Yes. It's just…" Lucius said as he wiped himself with a handkerchief. "I was just surprised by what you said."

"About the Chamber?" Regulus said dismissively. "That's just an old Slytherin tale. Not that it's true, is it?"

Lucius studied Regulus before staring back at the book. He motioned for Regulus to sit closer.

"It's true," Lucius whispered as Regulus sat closer to him. Regulus could see Lucius's eyes darting around the room as he spoke. "The Dark Lord knows of its location and wishes to see the Chamber opened once more. Once our numbers are high, we will open the Chamber and purge Hogwarts of the filth inside it."

"Wait, the Chamber is real?"

"Yes!" Lucius exclaimed, his face glowing as his lips turned upwards into a grin. "And it's all because of that," Lucius said as he pointed at the book. Regulus was surprised. He had only wanted to confirm the words of Snape when he brought up the Chamber but now that Lucius was motioning towards the book, Regulus's curiosity was rising.

"What is it?" Regulus asked as he and Malfoy walked towards the book.

"That, my dear Regulus, is the diary of our Dark Lord."

"His diary?!" Regulus gasped as Lucius admired the book.

"Yes. That's all he said to me when he gave me the diary. Said that it was one of his most treasured possessions and that giving it to me would be the highest honour that He could bestow on a Death Eater." Lucius sighed as a tear rolled down his cheek.

"Too bad you can't read it though," Regulus said. Lucius gave Regulus a curious look before shrugging his shoulders and removing the wards guarding the diary. Removing it carefully, Lucius placed it on a table.

"Go ahead," Lucius said while smirking at Regulus. Sucking in his breath as well as his surprise from being presented with this opportunity, Regulus trembled as he opened the diary gently.

"There's nothing here!" Regulus said in astonishment as he turned each page.

"I know." Lucius chuckled as he smirked at Regulus. "I was curious myself once and wanted to read from it, only to be disappointed to find it blank. But you can feel it, can't you? The power radiating from it?"

Regulus felt a shiver down his spine. He could feel the aura emanating from the book, its power slowly but surely washing all over him. Regulus felt a sense of dread growing inside him, as if all the joy in this world was slowly being sucked out, only to be replaced with something far darker.

"I always wanted to ask our Dark Lord. How could a blank diary help open the Chamber of Secrets." Lucius continued to speak. "But of course, one should never question the Lord. So I let it be. The only thing that I can think of is that the diary, in some way, must be…"

"It's enchanted," Regulus said, finishing Malfoy's statement, as he turned over the white pages of the book. "I wonder…"

"What are you doing?! Stop!" Lucius yelled as Regulus took a quill and jotted it on the paper. Both wizards watched in amazement as the ink dissolved into the paper without leaving a trace. Soon, a word appeared on its page.

"Hello?" Lucius whispered as Regulus stared at the word. Before Malfoy could stop him, Regulus grabbed a quill.

"Who is this?" Regulus wrote as the words dissolved once more, only for more words to appear, this time in a much larger and darker font.

"My name is Tom Riddle. What is yours?" Lucius whispered once more. Regulus gasped out loud before closing the book and pushing the diary towards Lucius.

"You should put it back under the wards," Regulus said as he walked over to the table to pour himself a drink. The glass trembled in his hand, both of which Regulus realised were shaking.

"What's gotten into you?" Lucius demanded as he placed the diary back in its charm. "You looked like death."

"I just thought I heard someone coming in." Regulus stammered as he downed the whiskey in a single shot. "Didn't want anyone catching us."

Lucius looked like he wanted to press further but instead, gave Regulus a dismissive shrug before talking about the recent activities of the Death Eaters. Regulus half-paid attention as they conversed, his mind fully on a single thought. That was no ordinary enchantment. Once Lucius left, Regulus went straight to the shelves.

 _It almost seems like….but no, not even He would be crazy enough…would he?_

Regulus pulled out several books from the shelves and headed straight to his desk. Slamming the books down hard, Regulus proceeded to scan each page, hoping to find the Dark Magic that his Lord might have used on the book. Though it was just a theory, Regulus felt afraid. As he turned each page frantically, his thoughts turned back to Snape. He could feel his conscience screaming at him to do something. He needed to do something. Regulus knew he had chosen the wrong path and wanted nothing more than to make amends. Reaching into his pocket, Regulus pulled out his Galleon looking at it fondly for a moment before placing it next to him.

…..

"Enter."

Dumbledore waited patiently at his desk as the door swung around slowly to reveal a familiar, young wizard with long black hair and dark eyes. Though it was the crack of dawn, Dumbledore himself was an early riser and he had an inkling that young Severus Snape would be up. Even throughout his NEWTs, Dumbledore spied the young wizard working in the library and would only leave under the threats of Madam Pince. Though Dumbledore wanted to intervene, he knew that Snape needed this. Snape needed to keep researching on Lord Voldemort. It gave him a sense of purpose and Dumbledore knew all too well, the importance of having a purpose right next to a senseless tragedy.

"Sir, you wish to see me?" Snape asked softly as Dumbledore sighed as soon as he got a closer look at his student. There were heavy eye bags on his face and the state of his hair and skin told Dumbledore more than he needed to know. He could even sense Snape's exhaustion as the wizard looked barely able to stand, much less talk. Without further ado, Dumbledore motioned for Snape to take a seat as he stood in front of the young wizard.

"Mr. Snape…" Dumbledore began to speak.

"Please sir, Severus. I am graduating today, after all." Snape interjected as Dumbledore nodded.

"Very well, Severus," Dumbledore said gently as he placed his hand on the young wizard's shoulder. "Tell me, how has the investigation into Tom been going? I hope that my granting of access to the Restricted Section has come to use."

Snape's face had a momentary look of surprise before he gave a sigh of resignation. "It was too obvious, wasn't it?"

"Only by a smidge." Dumbledore smiled as his eyes twinkled. "Well, tell me. Anything of interest?"

"I have no idea what Tom is doing." Snape sighed as he threw his hands in the air. "I've searched and searched on Dark Magic and on the history of the Four Founders and nothing! All I have is a bunch of spells that talk about using the power of certain objects that give its owner power but those are nothing compared to Voldemort's rumoured powers. I thought maybe that Voldemort just wanted to keep these items as mementos of power, similar to what that Muggle Hitler did during the war."

"And I admit I, myself, would have come to a similar conclusion if you and your friends haven't tried to convince me otherwise, Severus," Dumbledore said.

"But there's just too much effort and coincidence for it to be just that!" Snape replied in a loud voice. "I mean, if these were just trophies and Tom knew where they were, he could have just performed a locating spell to find them and force his Death Eaters to retrieve them. And yet, he took the time and effort of locating these items himself, putting himself at great risk. For what? A trophy? I think not."

Dumbledore smiled as he stared at the young wizard.

"Tell me, Severus, what is Lord Voldemort's ultimate goal? What does he seek?"

"To enslave the world. Get rid of Muggle-borns and anyone who opposes him." Snape replied, almost instantly. Dumbledore shook his head.

"No, young Severus. You've seen the memories, you heard the stories. Tell me, why does Voldemort seek power, regardless of how dangerous it can be? What is Voldemort afraid of?"

"You?" Snape said as Dumbledore chuckled.

"No, Severus. Not me. Think deeper. What is his greatest fear?"

Dumbledore smiled as he saw Snape's eyes beginning to widen with realisation. "Death. Voldemort fears Death! He intends to make himself immortal!" Snape said excitedly before looking confused. "But what does that have to do with the trophies? Unless he seeks something like the Philosopher's Stone, I doubt Tom could do anything with these items to make himself immortal."

"That is where I've reached an impasse as well, Severus. There are many theories but I'm afraid what we would need is time. My thought is that Tom may be using these trophies to create something. To what, I don't know. I'm afraid my understanding of the Dark Arts is limited, though by choice. If I were you, I would devote my work to finding out if Tom could achieve immortality by using these objects."

"Understood," Snape replied before frowning and staring at Dumbledore. "Wait, why didn't you tell me this before?"

"Well, I was under the impression that you needed access to the Restricted Section for a project," Dumbledore said as Snape gave him a sheepish look. Waving his wand, a teapot and two cups flew out from a nearby cupboard and landed on his desk.

"Would you like some tea, Severus?" Dumbledore said as he poured out two cups. "I often found that a cup of Earl Grey helps to soothe the mind." Snape nodded his head as he took a sip from the cup offered by Dumbledore. As Dumbledore watched Snape sip his tea, he smiled warmly at his student. For a brief moment, Dumbledore felt himself staring back at his younger self while sipping tea in front of Mrs. Doge, nursing a broken nose as he sat in the house of his close friend, Elphias. _Death changes us all_ Dumbledore thought sadly as he placed his cup neatly on its saucer.

"Severus," Dumbledore spoke as he looked at young man. "I'm sure by now you must be tired, having to bear all those questions. Questions that your friends, though with noble intentions, have bothered you with."

Snape said nothing as Dumbledore continued to press on.

"I too once knew a boy. A boy who lost his mother just like yourself. A boy who, in his process, of dealing with Death threw himself into researching on magic, clinging to anything that would give purpose. The path he choose was not an easy one. And yes, it was dark."

"I'm not like him," Severus whispered as Albus looked confused.

"Not like whom, Severus?"

"Tom."

"Why in Merlin's name would you think that?"

"Because we're similar, aren't we?" Severus whispered as he looked away. "We both lost our mothers. Both of us seek Hogwarts as a refuge. Both of us exposed to death at a young age. If it hadn't been for me being sorted to Gryffindor, I might have turned out like him. I might have been a Death Eater."

"But you didn't. You chose to stand against them." Dumbledore said warmly as he looked at the young wizard. "It is our choices, Severus, that show who we truly are, far more than our abilities. Or our past."

Dumbledore motioned his hand towards the Sorting Hat as it rested behind the comfort of a glass cupboard.

"Seven years ago, the Hat Sorted you to Gryffindor. If you were meant to go to Slytherin, why did the Hat not sort you there?"

"Because… I chose to go to Gryffindor." Snape said as a warm smile crept up on his face. "I was… afraid that James and Sirius would take Lily away from me and so, I went to Gryffindor to be closer to her. If only my eleven-year-old self could see me now, all the things I've been through."

"Exactly," Dumbledore said as he clapped his hands. "You see, Severus? How much you've grown? How much you've changed? And all because of the choices you make."

Snape smiled for a moment before staring despondently to the ground once more, his lips clamped shut. Dumbledore sighed as he took another sip of tea. He watched as Snape fiddled about in his pockets before pulling out an unusual Galleon, whose presence in his pocket was just as much as a surprise to him as it was to Dumbledore.

 _It's been almost 80 years_ Dumbledore thought with an internal sigh.

"Severus, when I talked about the boy, I wasn't referring to Tom. I was referring to myself. You see, Severus, you and I are more alike than you think." Dumbledore said as Snape stared back him curiously.

"I was the eldest of three, a younger brother called Aberforth and an even younger sister named Ariana. When Ariana was six and still trying to come into terms with her magic, a horrific incident struck our family. Three Muggle boys discovered her and attacked her, leaving her traumatised. My father, in a blind rage, took revenge against those boys and subsequently was sent to Azkaban for life. What happened to Ariana next is the worst possible thing that could ever happen to any magical child. Because of the incident, Ariana refused and fought against her powers, making them uncontrollable to the point that she became an Obscurial."

"An Obscurial!" Snape gasped. "But that would mean…"

"Yes," Dumbledore replied sadly. "But Ariana was strong and so the parasite didn't take her life as of yet. But with our father gone, our life turned to sadness and so I, upon receiving my Hogwarts letter, threw myself into working on my magic. Hogwarts became my refuge but in doing so, I neglected my family in the process. All I wanted was to become more powerful, to be the best wizard that I could possibly be. And then another tragedy struck our family."

Snape listened intently, not saying a word.

"One day, Ariana lost control of her powers and caused an explosion which took the life of our mother. In doing so, I became the legal guardian of my two siblings and I resented it. Don't get me wrong, Severus, I loved my siblings but I was angry and bitter. The outside magical world had been my escape, my ticket out of the dreary home that was our lives and now I was forced to return. As fate would have it, that was the day I met him. He came to live with his aunt in our neighbourhood and being just as talented as I was, I soon enjoyed his company."

"Who is he?" Snape asked as Dumbledore's face grew grim.

"Grindelwald."

"What?!" Snape said, in shock.

"Yes, Grindelwald and I met years before our final battle. You see, Severus, I was ambitious, talented and wanted to change things. I would have made a perfect Slytherin, given the chance." Dumbledore said with a mirthless chuckle. "Grindelwald filled my head with ideas. Ideas that I have never fully let go, if one is to be honest. But back then, I wanted to expose magic to the world. To help the Muggles know of our existence so that girls like Ariana can practise their magic without fear. Grindelwald and myself fashion plans to…."

"Rule over them." Snape gasped as Dumbledore nodded.

"Yes, Severus. It wasn't that I despised Muggles but seeing what they did to my sister, you can forgive me for feeling a certain amount of anger towards them. But alas, nothing came to fruition. For you see, one day, my brother Aberforth and Grindelwald had a fight which I soon became part of. We were pointing wands at each other, shouting curses. Someone was going to get hurt. And someone did."

Dumbledore sighed at this point as Snape watched a tiny tear trickle down his face.

"Ariana, poor, sweet, innocent Ariana tried to intervene. She wanted it all to stop, for us to stop fighting and thus, she was caught in the middle of the spells. Just like Mary, Ariana was hit with a curse and she fell down, dead."

Snape said nothing as Dumbledore wiped a tear from his face.

"After her death, Grindelwald fled while Aberforth threw a fist at me during a funeral, swearing never to talk to me again. I was alone, once more. All my thoughts, my ideas of power, of what I intended to do with Grindelwald had fled with him and soon, I became a professor here at Hogwarts. I never forgave myself for what happened to Ariana, Severus. Grindelwald and I would come to meet years later and despite the calls from the community, I refused to get personally involved though I tried to help through other means. It was only in 1945 when the calls rose too loud and I forced myself to duel with him, eventually beating him."

Dumbledore stared at Snape as he pursed his lips hard as if trying for one, final time to prevent himself from speaking.

"There are a few who know all that I've told you, Severus, but this next part, I haven't even whispered a word to a single soul until today. You see, many people asked me over the years, why I refused to face down Grindelwald all those years ago. I was afraid, Severus. Not of him but of something far worse and far more painful. The truth."

Dumbledore could see Snape opening his mouth to speak but he held up his hand. He already knew what Snape was going to ask.

"The truth is, while we were fighting, there was a barrage of spells being fired all about the room. I was afraid to face Grindelwald because on that night, I wasn't sure who had fired the spell that killed my sister. A part of me wanted it to be Grindelwald, making him easier to blame but another part of me felt that perhaps, it was I, who cast the spell that killed my sister. I was afraid that Grindelwald would accuse me of killing Ariana and convincing me that, yes, I was the one who cast the spell. That I might have killed her. And that was a thought that was too painful to bear if it were true."

"Did you ever find out?" Snape asked as Dumbledore merely smiled at him before placing his hand on Snape's shoulder.

"That is a story for another time, I'm afraid," Dumbledore spoke gently. "We all have our ways on dealing with death, Severus. Some of us lash out. Some of us closed up. Some of us throw ourselves into things. There is not a single way for one to deal with grief. But what I do is this, Severus. We cannot do it alone. And we cannot allow our thoughts, no matter how painful or how shameful they are, to control us. We're only human, after all."

Dumbledore stood up as Snape did the same.

"You are officially an adult and no longer my student after today, Severus. I do not wish to tell you how to live your life but I will say this. You are not alone. You have friends who care about you, who wish to help you. When you feel the time is right, tell them. Tell them the truth as to why you've not yet talked to anyone about Mary. And don't be afraid. The sooner you confront the truth, the sooner you can move on."

"How do you know I haven't told anyone yet?" Snape asked.

"What is that Muggle expression? Something about walking in your shoes?" Dumbledore chuckled. "But before you tell anyone, confront the truth first. I suspect that you've been overworking yourself this semester to avoid the truth. Not the best way to deal, but an understandable reaction."

Snape stood quietly for a few moments before a bittersweet smile appeared on his face.

"Thank you, si…I mean Albus."

"I should be thanking you," Dumbledore replied. "Now, Mr. Severus, you should be getting down for breakfast soon and so should I."

"Wait," Snape said as he stared at the Sorting Hat. "There is a favour that I need to ask on behalf of James and Sirius as well..."

…

Lily stood patiently on the train platform as she watched the embrace between Alice and Severus. The Leaving Feast had been an emotional affair, especially with Dumbledore giving a speech about the dangers that the magical community was facing. It came as a surprise, but a very much welcomed one, when Dumbledore spoke of Mary and her sacrifice. She watched as many within their clique succumbed to tears and Gryffindor roared in support of their fallen friend. There was no mention of the House Cup as Dumbledore sought to rally the students to support each other, to unite in the face of evil.

Watching as Severus and Alice pulled themselves apart, Lily felt a pang of guilt. She had been jealous of their friendship. For many years, Severus was her best friend and seeing him with Alice, despite all of them being close, had raised a green-eyed monster that Lily had been trying so hard to bury. It all seemed so petty now considering their current circumstances. _We need to unite together_ Lily thought.

As Severus approached her, Lily thought about how much they've each grown ever since they first came to Hogwarts. Severus had always been her best friend, the first to discover that she was a witch. She giggled slightly at the thought of their younger selves, full of hope and idealism as they sought to understand their powers. Seeing him smile at her, Lily felt a strange pull within. If there was anyone she would never part with, it was Severus. He always made her feel comfortable and could be relied on. Seeing him comb through his black hair, which he had washed several times over as well as staring into his calm yet intriguing dark eyes, Lily felt a slight tug as she admired just how handsome he looked.

"You okay?" Snape said as he approached. Lily shook herself out of her thoughts though she could feel a slight burn on her cheeks.

"I'm fine. Everything okay between you and Alice?"

Snape sighed as he smiled back at the train. "Yeah, I told her that I didn't mean to avoid her as much as I did this semester. Just needed to deal, you know. I told her that soon I'll be ready to talk to her and to all of you. She told me that we're cool and she's always here for me."

"So are we," Lily said as she smiled at him though she felt a lingering sense of disappointment that Snape would choose to speak to Alice _first_.

"So can you believe it? It's over." Lily said hastily, hoping to change the subject. Snape gave her a puzzled expression.

"Hogwarts," Lily said with a laugh as she pointed towards the castle. "Our home for the past seven years? Rings a bell?"

Snape laughed as he beamed at Lily. "Yeah, it was our home, wasn't it? A welcome escape from our dreary and boring lives."

"Something we can no longer claim," Lily replied as she smiled at him. "I'm glad to have spent these seven years with you, Severus. Can you imagine if we had parted ways while in school? I can't imagine my life without you."

"I owe it all to you, Lily," Snape said as he placed his hand on her shoulder. Almost instantly, Lily felt a tingling sensation rush throughout her body. "If you weren't my friend, I would never have been in Gryffindor. And all the things that I've been through from being brothers with James to going on my first date with Mary and spending time with Alice, none of them would have existed if I didn't choose back then to go to Gryffindor. You have no idea how much you mean to me, Lily Evans. No matter whom I with or what I do, no matter if we fight, I never want to live a life without you in it You were the first friend I ever made and the first person, outside my family, that I ever cared about. You know things about me that others will never know."

Lily smiled as she pulled Snape into a hug. The warmth of his robes, as well as the apple scent of his shampoo, only made the tingling sensation stronger. If Lily didn't know better, it would seem that she was actually…

"Hopefully, James, Sirius and I can get our own place soon," Snape said as he pulled away though Lily felt reluctant to let go.

"Oh yeah, can't believe that Dumbledore allowed you guys to stay here for a week. Can you imagine what James and Sirius could get up to inside an almost empty Hogwarts castle? Filch must be furious!"

"It's only temporary until Sirius and I get that flat in London. James just wants to stay with us." Snape laughed before sighing. "Between you and me, I don't he's in a hurry to go back to Godric's Hollow. Neither am I, if I'm being honest."

"Well, you'll have to go back sometime," Lily said gently. "It will be good for you."

"Listen," Snape said as he stared back at the train. There were still students getting ready to board with a few third years trying to chase a pet rat on the platform. "I meant what I said about you knowing things about me that the others don't. I know I have to get this off my chest sooner or later but I think I'm ready to give you the gist now before you have to board. It's about Mary's death."

"I'm listening," Lily replied.

"See, there's a reason why I'm telling you first and not Alice," Snape said as he studied Lily's reaction. "And before you think too much, I care about you both. You're both my best friends so don't overthink this, okay?"

"Sure."

"See, the thing is…the reason why I haven't spoken about Mary's death…is because…"Snape stammered heavily as Lily could see him struggling with the weight on his shoulders. Before he could utter another word, Snape gave a loud yelp and dived his hand into his pockets.

"What?!" Lily exclaimed as Snape fumbled in his pockets.

"Something's vibrating in my robes…I…AH! Here it is!" Snape said triumphantly as he pulled out a Galleon. "I forgot that I had this in my pocket."

"Wait, is that the Galleon you told me about? The one with the Protean Charm to communicate with Regulus Black?"

"Yes!" Snape said excitedly as he squinted his eyes at the message that was starting to form. "I thought he threw it away! He must have kept it somehow! But what could he want to sen….oh no…MERLIN!"

"What?!" Lily asked as she stared at the Galleon lying on Snape's palm. Looking at it, Lily could only make out a single word written on it though she could not understand its meaning.

"Sev, what is it?" Lily asked as Snape hastily stuffed the Galleon back into his robes.

"Sorry, Lily, I got to go! I'll talk to you about it later!" Snape said as he ran from the platform back to Hogwarts. Lily raised her arms before sighing and turning back to the Hogwarts Express that had already began to whistle. As she walked to the compartment to join up with the rest of her friends, Lily thought back to the word she had seen.

 _Horcrux_

… _.._

"Are you sure, Severus?" Dumbledore said as he inspected the Galleon.

"Absolutely," Snape replied grimly as Sirius scoffed behind him. Both Dumbledore and Snape turned to look at him.

"How do we know we can trust him?" Sirius said as he glared at the Galleon. "It could be a trap. He is a Death Eater, after all."

"Simmer down, Sirius," James replied before the other two could answer. "What is a Horcrux, exactly?"

Snape turned to Dumbledore, expecting him to explain only for his former Headmaster to smile and motion towards him.

"A Horcrux is an object in which a person can hide a fragment of their soul. It's extremely Dark Magic and there has only been one report in wizarding history of it having been performed successfully - "

"Wait!" James interrupted. "Did you say a fragment of their _soul_? Why would Voldemort want to do that?"

Snape exchanged a look with Dumbledore. "Splitting his soul means that as long as a single piece of his soul remains, even with the destruction of his body through the Killing Curse or other means, Voldemort will still exist though it is unclear as to what form he would become. In other words, it means that by creating a Horcrux, Voldemort has essentially found the way to immortality."

"Bloody hell!" Sirius said as Snape nodded his head. "That's not even the worst part."

"What is?" James asked, still reeling from the idea that Voldemort could not die.

"Well, I think it's safe to assume that Voldemort has successfully created a Horcrux. See, in order to split your soul, you would have to kill. Killings splits the soul apart. What I fear, and which is probably true, is that he's created more than one. The trophies? How desperate he was to get them? And all the murders he committed along the way? The killings we thought were random?"

"Merlin!" James said. "How many has he made?"

"Based on the memories, we know he has the ring, the locket, the cup, and the diadem. I think we can assume that he has already turned these four into Horcruxes. He probably wants something of Gryffindor to complete the set. And after that, who knows? Having more than a single Horcrux is unheard of."

"If I have to venture a guess," Dumbledore spoke as the three boys turned to him. "I would say that Lord Voldemort would most likely create seven. Seven is often considered to be the most powerful magical number."

"So Voldemort has seven Horcruxes hidden Merlin-knows-where?!" Sirius groaned. "And here I thought things couldn't get any more fucked up!"

"Actually, Mr. Black, it would be six and please do watch your language," Dumbledore said as Sirius gave a half-hearted apology. "One piece of Voldemort's soul would have to reside within his body but I fear what Severus has said is true. Though I am now wondering how did Tom learn to make one? Or how he even learnt about it in the first place?"

"Maybe someone told him?" James said as Dumbledore's eyes flashed with recognition.

"Thank you, James. I believe you've just given me an idea." Dumbledore said as he waved his wand. A hat and coat flew towards him as Dumbledore started to dress. "I need to go to London. There's someone there that I need to visit."

"When will you be back?" Snape asked.

"Tomorrow. I'll have more information for you, then." Dumbledore said as he heaved a sigh. "In the meantime, Severus, do keep communicating with young Regulus as much as you can. We need all the information we can get. I need to inform Alastor about this as soon as I can."

"Albus," James spoke, with a determined look on his face. "With all due respect, you can't go to Moody with this."

"Why can't he, mate?" Sirius asked as Snape wondered the same.

"Because it's not going to be the Order's duty to hunt these Horcruxes down and destroy them. It's going to be us." James said, though his voice was devoid of the usual pride that came with these speeches. "Voldemort send his Death Eaters who killed Mary. They took our best friend away from us! It's time we return the favour. I say we hunt down the Horcruxes, all of us, and we destroy them one by one. Once the last one falls, we can then work out how best to kill Voldemort."

"James, I do admire your courage but…" Dumbledore began to speak before Sirius cut him off.

"No sir, this isn't about courage," Sirius said as he nodded with James. "It's about justice for our friend. Besides, if you told Moody, sooner or later the entire Order is going to know. If Voldemort manages to capture one of the Order members, he might find out and the entire mission would be compromised. As of now, the three of us along with our friends are meaningless to him. He doesn't even know us. We've been trained under Arthur, long enough. We can do this, Professor Dumbledore."

"Yes." Snape agreed "We've been researching on this for the past months, Albus. This is our mission, no one else. Only the nine of us, with exception of yourself, would know about the Horcruxes. Like James said, we owe it to Mary. _I_ owe it to Mary."

Dumbledore gave them a bittersweet smile. "So, am I to presume that the nine of you, recently graduated from Hogwarts, intend to go on a life-threatening mission, trying to pursue six Horcruxes that are hidden in magical artefacts and are quite possibly scattered around the globe, destroy all of them before you finally go after Voldemort?"

James exchanged looks with both Snape and Sirius. All three expressions were clear. Each boy had a determined look on his face as they turned to face Dumbledore.

"Yes."

"Very well." Dumbledore sighed as he saw their faces, knowing that arguing against them would be a lost cause. "You three, as well as your friends, are still part of the Order. However, you will report your activities to me directly. Gather your friends as soon as you can and we shall all meet in Hogsmeade. Do not tell them what you know through your letters as that would be too dangerous. I'm placing a great deal of faith in your little army, James."

Snape and Sirius nodded while James sniggered as all eyes now turned to him.

"What's so funny?" Sirius asked as James shook his head.

"Nothing. It's just that I was thinking of a name for us. Like the Resistance or Defence Association."

"A subsidiary of the Order of the Phoenix," Snape added while grinning at James.

"Quite right!" James exclaimed. "But, ignore me, it's just that when you said army, I thought of the perfect name for us."

"Which is?" Dumbledore asked as James grinned.

"Dumbledore's Army."

…..

" _How could you, Severus?"_

Snape stared up at the portrait of Godric Gryffindor. The stern gaze from the tall, muscular man with a lion-like mane of wavy red hair and a beard to match send shivers down Snape's spine as he stared at the portrait using only his wand as a dim source of light. Snape's eyes raked down towards the famous sword, adorned with rubies. He had a suspicion that Dumbledore knew more than he let on as to the whereabouts of the sword but that was a question for another day.

It was nearing midnight now in the castle. Both James and Sirius were sound asleep in their dormitory. Snape, on the other hand, found it difficult to do so. Each night, he was plagued by nightmares. He had tried making Sleeping Potions to help him sleep but even with the potion, the nightmares continued to torment him, even after he had woken up. Snape could feel it weighing on him each day, the horror of that night, discovering Mary was dead and of course…

 _The guilt_ Snape thought as he pushed his pain aside. There was something truly haunting about walking the corridors of Hogwarts at night. With the exception of his two friends, a few of the professors, Filch and Hagrid who resided outside, there was no one else within the castle, save for the ghosts. Snape himself had bumped into Nearly Headless Nick along the way, offering the spirit nothing more than a ghostly smile as he continued to wander around the castle.

As he passed the tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy attempting to teach trolls ballet, Snape reached into his robe as he pulled out the Galleon. There were no other messages from Regulus so far though Snape decided to keep the Galleon close just in case he tried to contact Snape again. As Snape placed the Galleon into his pocket, his fingers brushed against something smooth and hard. With a sigh, Snape pulled out the item, one he knew he kept with him ever since they returned to Hogwarts.

It was a photograph of Mary and Snape on one of their dates. He had nicked it from Mary's room after the funeral. Snape smiled as he looked at his former self giving Mary a kiss while she giggled and tried to playfully push him off. It pained him greatly to see her smiling. Snape closed his eyes as he recalled a memory a few months ago when he converse with Sir Nick.

" _She isn't a ghost, Severus," Nick said kindly as he floated in front of him._

" _But why not?" Severus cried as he slammed his fist against the stone walls of the castle. "She wasn't done with life yet. She should be a ghost."_

" _Well, if that's the case, she should have been a spirit and she would be here with us now, at Hogwarts," Nick whispered._

" _But she died at Godric's Hollow?"_

" _So? Both Helena and the Bloody Baron died in Albania and yet here they are. Besides, if she were a spirit, I would know about it. But she isn't, Severus, which means she has moved on."_

" _But…but I need her." Snape sobbed. "I need Mary back."_

" _She's fulfilled her purpose, Severus." Nick sighed as he spoke. "It means that Mary truly intended to sacrifice her life to save yours. She's moved onwards, Severus, wherever onwards is."_

" _You don't understand… I need to talk to her…I need her, Nick." Snape croaked as Nick attempted to put his arms around the young wizard, only for it to float through._

" _Severus, she's gone. And she did it for you."_

" _You don't know that!" Snape snapped as he glared at Nick. "No one knows that! She's dead. She's gone and I will NEVER get the answers I want! How could she be so stupid?! Jumping in front of the curse?! Why did she do that? WHY? TELL ME WHY?!"_

" _Severus…" Nick said as he came to a loss for words. Snape took to his feet as he started to run away._

" _No one will ever understand. It's been hanging over me…No one will EVER understand!"_

Snape sighed as he opened his eyes. His friends were wrong. Snape had been crying over Mary, trying to come to terms with her death. He wasn't in denial. Ironically, of all his friends, it was Dumbledore that seemed closer to the truth as to why Snape never wanted to open up to his friends. Dumbledore understood how he felt. The guilt, the ever heavy guilt caused by a single thought that turned his entire life upside down. As Snape collapsed against the wall from across the tapestry, he recalled Dumbledore's words to him.

 _The sooner you confront the truth, the sooner you can move on_

 _The guilt…_

Snape thought back to the words Mary had spoken to him on the night of New Year's Eve at Godric's Hollow.

 _I've seen how you are with her and sometimes, I wonder if she's better for you._

It had only taken a second to register after her death but Severus knew of whom Mary was referring to. Perhaps he had always known. It had been building up for months, with each day spent with her.

 _The guilt…._

Recalling the horror of staring into the lifeless eyes of Mary, a million thoughts rushed through Snape's mind. Yet even after he wept and helped James to carry her body back to their cottage, a single thought stuck in his head, spreading through his mind like a virus that he was unable to get rid of. A thought that disgusted him to the core and kept him from truly dealing with Mary's death. It was undeniable now, what he felt when he saw Mary lying there.

He was, for a moment, grateful.

Grateful that it was Mary who died and not… Alice.

As soon as Alice's name came into his head, Snape burst out in tears. How horrible must one be to actually feel glad that one best friend had lived over another? But Alice wasn't just a best friend, was she? In the months leading to Mary's demise, Alice and him had forged a bond of friendship, one that continued to linger and grow inside him each time they interacted. It felt different to his crush on Lily, one born out of idolatry and obsession. Instead, Alice made him feel like a normal person, able to communicate freely and as comfortable with a person as he possibly could.

But then came Mary's death. And of course, Frank.

 _Not that it matters_ Snape thought bitterly as he pushed away thoughts of Frank and Alice which only served to bring about small bouts of jealousy. Snape sighed as he wiped away his tears that had started to drip on the photograph in his hand. Closing his eyes once more, Snape leaned his head against the stone wall.

"Mary," Snape whispered, to no one in particular. "I'm not sure if you can hear me. There's just so much I want to ask you. Like why did you do it? Why did you sacrifice yourself? Then again, if you didn't, Alice wouldn't be alive. Did you know? Did you know that I was falling for Alice? God…Mary…I'm…I'm so sorry. You were my girlfriend and here I am, actually glad that it was you and not Alice who died? What kind of monster thinks that way?"

Snape opened his eyes as he glared at the photograph. The tears had started to return.

"I wish you were here. I wish you could be here and I could ask you these things. Sure, it might not actually be you but I need to talk to you right now. You have no fucking idea just how much I really, really need you right now, Mary. There's so much I have to say. Like, tell you how sorry I am for everything that happened to you. It's not fair, Mary. You wanted a life outside of all of this and instead of supporting you, I pushed you away. I'm so sorry, Mary. I just…I just need to talk to you…"

Alone, in the darkness of the seventh-floor corridor, Snape's cries echoed throughout the walls not being heard by a single soul, save for the ghosts that roamed the walls of Hogwarts.

….

Snape wiped away his tears as he stuffed the photograph back into his robes though his body still trembled with grief. With a sigh, he lifted himself up onto his feet, using the wall behind him for support. It came as a surprise to him, when his left hand brushed against something hard and smooth instead of the grainy and rough stone of the wall. Turning around, Snape was shocked to see a large wooden door standing next to him.

 _What the…_

In all his time at Hogwarts as a student, Snape had never come across such a door on the seventh-floor corridor. Even when he helped the Marauders to create the map, no such door existed on this floor. His curiosity piqued, Snape touched the red, wooden once more. It felt cold but nonetheless, real. For a moment, Snape wondered if his mind was playing tricks on him. Realising that his answers laid ahead, Snape pushed the door open cautiously as he peered inside the room.

The brightness from the room nearly blinded Snape's eyes. The room was vast and adorned with everything white, from the large Ionic pillars in front of him to the walls surrounding the room. The room appeared endless as Snape stared into its void, cautious upon entering. Leaving the door open by a mere fraction, Snape entered the room and started to explore.

All around him were large white pillars as Snape continued to walk. After about a hundred metres in, Snape spied a white bench. As he walked towards the bench, he could see three large portraits hanging on the walls. The portraits were each fitted with a golden frame though there was nothing painted on it except for its black background. Curious, Snape ventured forward to inspect the portraits, touching each one and feeling nothing but the black canvas and the golden frame. Snape went back to the bench as he sat it on, facing away from the portraits as he looked around the room.

"What is this place?" Snape asked out loud as he peered about the room.

"It is whatever you need it to be."

The sound of the voice caused Snape to jump out of his skin. With a jolt, Snape turned back to face the portraits. Two of them remained empty but the middle one was not.

Snape's face went as white as the room itself.

In the middle portrait, stood a girl Snape recognized instantly. With her dirty-blonde hair and her bright blue eyes, as well as her rising bosom, Snape was at a loss of words as he stared at the figure who had a smile on her face as she motioned for Snape to come closer. She was just as beautiful as he pictured her to be and though she had a welcoming façade, Snape was still in shock to see her beaming down at him.

"It can't be," Snape whispered hoarsely.

"Hello, Severus." The figure spoke, her voice a clear match.

"Mary?" Snape whispered as the portrait of Mary McDonald smiled at him.

…

 **The end for now. Just a few things to address!**

 **The original chapter was going to be all about Snape coming to terms with Mary's death but from a plot perspective, it was just a filler chapter with little plot progression. I know that it's important to characterise your characters but frankly, I needed to speed up this chapter. I'm the kind of guy who loves to binge watch tv series because it allows me to skip over episodes that do nothing but add filler. So yes, this chapter isn't going to be as detailed as the rest but trust me, it's a huge improvement over the original draft.**

 **You can see now why I said Chapter 4 was the most important chapter! I always imagined what it would be like if Regulus Black had managed to get the word out to Dumbledore about Horcruxes! It would mean that the Horcrux Hunt would have to begin much sooner! Just imagine the implications! I don't have my HBP anymore but if I recall correctly, Dumbledore started looking for the memories way before he was in possession of the diary back in Harry's second year but he never knew about the Horcruxes. Now the story starts to divert GREATLY from canon as a new DA is born to Hunt down Horcruxes.**

 **I allowed for Nick to reveal who the Grey Lady was. I can't recall if Nick ever knew her identity but for the purposes of this story, let's say that he does. Furthermore, Helena knew who Tom Riddle had become and who Tom Riddle truly is but unlike the movie, I don't think she had any idea that the diadem was turned into a Horcrux.**

 **I had a problem with the diary in this chapter as I kept researching about Lucius's knowledge of it. See, I know that Lucius had no idea that the diary was a Horcrux but I always had a feeling he knew that the diary could help open the chamber of secrets which is why he smuggled it into Ginny's bag. I don't have COS to confirm this but people have told me that Lucius did for two reasons, first was to get rid of a particularly Dark object that could convict him and the second was that it was Voldemort's original plan for Hogwarts. As to why Regulus recognise that the diary was a Horcrux as compared to Lucius, it is because Lucius never read much of his books on the Dark Arts as Regulus did.**

 **I know it was never confirmed if Alice was an Obscurial. But the similarities to Credence are much too coincidental. So I stand by that connection.**

 **For those fans of Alice, I apologise for hardly having her in here at all, although you can see why from the final part of this chapter. Not too worry, there will be more Sev and Alice interaction in the next chapter.**

 **1978 is the year Lily and James were supposed to get married. But with the change in timeline, this might not happen. I'm not saying that they won't get together nor am I saying that they will but things are different right now and so we will just go with it.**

 **1979 is a crucial year. It's the year Regulus dies, the year Hermione was born, the year Molly was pregnant with Ron and the year Lily became pregnant with Harry. This will become important soon.**

 **I know I've taken liberties with the Room of Requirement but I've always, always, pictured this in my head. I mean, the room has to be sentient. And if it is sentient, why not have it form a tangible product where it can communicate with its seeker? I've always wondered if anyone has ever entered the Room with the need to talk to it, like how the Sorting Hat does.**

 **Well, that's all for now. Until next time! Please review if you can! Thank you so much! I'M OFF TO WATCH FANTASTIC BEASTS 2!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I'm not abandoning this fic! My apologies for taking quite some time to write this chapter but I have been busy with other things. Not to mention, this isn't the easiest chapter to write. It started to dawn on me halfway that the entire HP series is littered with plot holes, inconsistencies and plot conveniences which made this chapter so difficult to write. I've always had issues with the Horcrux Hunt and how CONVENIENT everything was! Nagini as a Horcrux was an incredibly lucky hunch and although some may argue that because Harry was able to see through Nagini's eyes during that memory of Arthur Weasley in the Ministry, it is still an incredible hunch! The only reason how they found the Cup was because Harry accidentally said Voldemort's name, got send to the Manor, recognised the look of fear on Bellatrix and guessed that the Cup was there. Lucius provided them with the Diary. I admit having Dumbledore as a form of deus-ex-machina is great, but having Snape, James and the rest hunt down Horcruxes without the use of Harry gave me some really tough times.**

 **After watching FB2 as well as looking back on the HP stories, I realise just how insane the Horcrux Hunt really was. Firstly, Dumbledore probably knew, even suspected, for a long time ever since Harry's second year that there were Horcruxes. Even after confirmation from Slughorn, Dumbledore knew it so and instead of devising a proper plan with information on how to destroy Horcruxes and suspected places of Voldemort's known whereabouts with what little time he had left which was so valuable, he comes up with this scheme of HRH having to figure it out for themselves. Secondly, what was wrong with allowing an adult to come along the Hunt? Perhaps he had great faith in the Golden Trio but I agree that Remus or Bill Weasley should be brought along as well. Before anyone can say anything along the lines of it being a covert operation, it would still be covert with one more additional member unless you're telling me that Dumbledore can't trust any member of the Order? Really? A guy like Remus would have been able to warn Harry against wearing the Horcrux or help them to summon or multiple food. Let's not forget Snape being able to give his memories to Harry because Voldemort used Nagini instead of the Avada Kedavra curse to kill him. Sorry for the rant, the HP story is really good but sometimes, I really feel sorry for the Golden Trio. They had to overcome a lot.**

 **SORRY FOR THE RANT but I just had to get it out! I still love JK Rowling and her books though. Maybe I'm just still affected by FB2 which, if you've already watched it and you're a die-hard fan like me, you'll probably find it hard to stomach though as a spectacle, it is entertaining. For those asking if my story is going to be Snily or SevAlice, I say you'll just have to wait and see. I might seem to** **be pointing in one direction but you'll never know. They're in a war, anything can happen.**

 **Okay, enough chit-chat. I just want to say….THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS! KEEP THEM COMING!** **Love you guys loads.**

 **Disclaimer: I own not a single property of HP as all of it belongs to Robert Galbraith.**

 **The Importance of Being Snape**

" _Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love" – Albus Dumbledore, King's Cross_

 **Chapter 7**

 _ **1978**_

If there was a single emotion to describe what Severus was feeling, it was fear. Upon seeing the image of Mary speaking to him, Snape could only drop to his knees as he gazed up at the image of Mary with her dirty blonde hair and piercing blue eyes staring deep into his soul. What he did next surprised even him as Snape took to his feet before bolting out of the room.

His first instinct was to go back to James and Sirius and tell them what he had encountered. Yet as he entered the darkened dormitory to the sounds of their light snoring, Snape could only pause as he took in the comfort of his familiar surroundings. It shouldn't have shocked him like it did but then again, Snape never expected to see Mary ever again, let alone talking to him.

As he took the sanctuary of his four-poster bed, Snape allowed his brain to take control, processing everything that he had just witnessed. A room that, to Snape's knowledge, he had never stepped inside even after seven years at Hogwarts. A vast place, with its white walls and pillars that shimmered so brightly, that Snape felt he had almost entered…

 _Heaven_

Snape was not a religious person. Though he often heard people offer prayers to God, Snape took comfort in the joys of magic. Magic offered the higher power that Muggles often wished they had. For Snape, there were few boundaries to magic. Magic could allow one to fly, to be transported to places instantly, to turn back time and even help to create passion and attraction. But there are limitations. Magic cannot conjure food out of thin air, it cannot create true love and above all else, magic could not bring back the dead.

Or can it? True, Snape had often read but never did dabble much in the Dark Arts and of course, Voldemort's Horcruxes allowed for one to prolong life for as long as it could but never to bring back the dead. He noted that the room had brought Mary back through the form of a portrait. Magical portraits often allowed one to communicate with a person after their death but even in that retrospect, one could only communicate with the specific memories that the person left behind in the portrait. It is also important to note that one was communicating with a memory, a portrait and not the living embodiment of the person themselves. Even then, Snape couldn't recall if Mary ever had such a portrait designed for her.

He felt his eyelids start to droop as his head fell heavy. Snape made a mental note to find the room once morning came. As he slept, Snape smiled as his dreams turned towards angelic harps and white structures as he danced slowly with a familiar blonde-haired witch.

…

"What are you doing?"

Snape turned to see both James and Sirius approaching him on the seventh-floor corridor. He had been staring at a stone wall for ages, hoping that the room would show itself once more. Yet no red door materialised in front of him. Snape even tried to recreate his steps from the previous night, pacing and punching the walls but to no avail.

"Nothing, just taking a moment."

"To look at good ol' Barnabas?" James chuckled as he pointed at the tapestry behind them while Sirius laughed at the sight of the poor wizard attempting foolishly to teach trolls how to do ballet. Snape gave a fake laugh as he snuck a glance at the stone wall once more. There was nothing out of the ordinary. Wondering if it had all been a dream, Snape felt himself being pulled from his thoughts as James clapped him on his back.

"We've been looking for you, mate. Dumbledore wants to see us in his office."

"Did he say why?"

"Something about Professor Slughorn but I don't have all the details. Sirius?" James said as he turned to his best friend who was now staring at the same spot that Snape was looking at.

"I could have sworn there was a bathroom here," Sirius said as he shifted his head back and forth from the tapestry to the wall. "It was in our sixth year, I think. I was drunk out of my mind from Firewhiskey and I was in great, urgent need for a place to vomit. I came across this bathroom which was opposite this tapestry because I recalled laughing at Barnabus for quite some time after I exited. I could have sworn the bathroom was here."

"Maybe it moved. You know how this castle is, always shifting things." James replied.

"But a bathroom? Aren't there like pipes or something?" Sirius spoke doubtfully.

"You were drunk out of your mind," James said dismissively. "Come on, let's go see Dumbledore."

"You guys go ahead. I'll meet you there." Snape replied while looking deep in thought. Both James and Sirius thought nothing of it as they clapped him on the back before walking towards Dumbledore's office.

Something about the way Sirius spoke of his need to use a bathroom had made Snape realised he had indeed missed something. Shutting his eyes tight, Snape cleared his head before uttering the words.

"I need to see Mary." Images of Mary sprung up in his head, both in her past and now portrait form began presenting themselves to Snape. Without hesitating, Snape opened his eyes. The red door was now in front of him.

…

 _Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door._

 _Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door._

The song echoed throughout the room as Snape edged closer towards the portrait. He could see a small radio blaring out the song as a couch had substituted for the bench he had seen previously. Like everything else in the room, both items were white as well though Snape's eyes were focused on something else. Instead of a blank canvas, he could see Mary waving at him as Snape took to the couch while gazing at his late ex-girlfriend.

"I've added those things," Mary said as she motioned towards the couch and radio. "Tried to make it as comfortable for you as I possibly can."

Snape was not feeling a great deal of comfort but nevertheless, he took the couch, sinking his body into the stretchy fabric. He could feel the fear rushing through him once more and for a second, Snape feared he might bolt as he did last night. Instead, he blinked his eyes several times and pinched himself as tightly as he could.

"I assure you that you aren't dreaming." Mary giggled as she sat cross-legged in front of him. "But you have questions so go ahead and ask."

"What are you?" Snape said, not wanting to beat around the bush any longer.

"I am replicating a form of someone you wish to see. Tell me, Severus, have you ever heard of the Room of Requirement?"

Even with his extensive knowledge of the school and its history, Snape could only shake his head, having never heard of such a place. Perhaps Lily, the expert on Hogwarts: A History, might have been able to tell him more.

"I am known by many names, but this is the one I most prefer," Mary spoke in a calm voice as if trying to soothe Snape's jangled nerves. "When Hogwarts was created, the founders had a vision for this castle. They all agreed that the main purpose of the castle was to aid British magical students in their pursuit for magic. Hogwarts was to be a sanctuary, a place where one could seek comfort between these walls. In order for that to happen, the founders poured their magic into the creation of me. A room where one, if in great need of something, could come and find it here."

"So…wait…are you're saying you're alive?" Snape stammered as Mary nodded.

"Not too far-fetched if you grasp at it. The Sorting Hat is sentient as created by Godric and so am I. Though I must say, in the many years since my creation, no one has ever asked to speak to me as you have. There have been others, of course, who yearned and miss the loss of loved ones but you, Severus, you are special. When you laid there in the corridor, I sense a great deal of emotions, ranging from desire to anger all bottled up. It was your pain that forced me to assume this form."

"My pain?" Snape asked as Mary gave him a sympathetic look.

"Your pain is worse than most. I could sense it, of course, as that is my job. I need to sense the user. But yours, I'm afraid, was much more than I could bear. The loss of your mother, the abuse from your father, the heartbreak from your first love to the loss of your loved one all coupled together in a ball of pain and fury that needed to break free. So for the first time in my history, I sought a way to give you what you needed. I am limited by my powers to create a person so I did the next best thing. I took the form of Mary and created myself into this portrait. All for you."

"For me?" Snape replied, sounding skeptical. How was a portrait of Mary supposed to help him?

"Didn't you wish to speak to her?"

"Yes, but I meant as in alive and well. I needed to speak to her in that manner. Or at least to her spirit" Snape said as his thoughts turned to Nearly Headless Nick and how he wished Mary could be the same.

"Would you prefer if I adopted the form of a ghost? Ghosts are forces, after all. I suppose I could give it a try." Mary spoke in a thoughtful voice. "Though I would assume that the thought of that would make you sad."

"Why would it?"

"Because it would mean that your poor Mary is unable to move on. Forever stuck in limbo, traumatised by her past."

Snape did a double-take. He had never thought of spirits in that perspective before though it did make sense. All of the Hogwarts's ghosts, despite their ranges in personality, all seemed to be lost, floating about in a castle for centuries.

"Whatever it is, trust me. I don't need this." Snape replied as he stared back at Mary. He could see her blue eyes blazing and for a moment, feared he had angered her in some way. Instead, a forlorn expression came over her countenance as she smiled sadly at him.

"You may lie through your teeth but never through your heart, Severus," Mary spoke in a despondent tone. "Your pain and despair is all too apparent and I would like to help you. That is my duty to this school."

"Well, what do you want me to do?!" Snape cried in exasperation, no longer fearing the entity in front of him. "Would you want me to tell you how much I missed you? Or how much I regret what happened that night? Or how about you and I share stories about the past and how I wished you've left for America as you should have done."

"If there is one thing I know about pain, despair or guilt, it is that it has a focal point. If your pain was just merely trying to get over the death of somebody you love, I would most certainly have not manifested. But it's more than that. So tell me, what do you wish to say to Mary?"

Snape took in the sight before him. Memories swirled around his mind as he pictured how they had progressed in their relationship. From staring at the Thestrals to dates at Hogsmeade, to their first kiss. He recalled how beautiful Mary's eyes looked as she stared at him with such passion that he could almost feel himself floating. Mary had taught him how it felt to be loved and for that, Snape would be forever grateful. He could feel his eyes starting to water as he imagined her in front of him, grazing his cheek with her soft, supple hands as if she never left.

"I miss you. I miss you so much, Mary. You're such a good person and I took you for granted. You made me feel something only my mother could have evoked in me. Before I met you, I was this selfish, stubborn and obstinate little boy who just wanted to be loved. I was blinded by others, especially Lily and when you came, I thought, maybe you would at least help me through that. But you became so much more."

Snape could not stop the tears from falling down as he placed his hands on his face. Through the spaces between his fingers, Snape stared at Mary who was smiling at him, though he could see, that tears were streaking down her cheeks as well.

"Do you know what it feels like to be loved? To know that the person you're holding in your arms is pulling you tighter because she wants to be with you? To hear her say words that have meaning because she gave it to you along with her heart? For each time that I kiss you, to feel that force on your lips that you press so firmly onto mine, it made me less frightened and more confident that you actually want to spend the rest of your life with me. Mary, I'm not the guy that girls cry over. I'm not the guy that they admire or feel attracted to when I walk by. I'm just an ordinary guy before I met you and you made me feel more than ordinary. When I was with you, it felt…it felt magical."

Thoughts swirled through his head at a frightening pace. Images of Mary holding his hand and kissing him. Images of her running in anger before he met with Regulus and of her yelling at him for wanting to practise the Killing Curse. Images of them breaking up. Images of them at the forest of Godric Hollow before the attack began. And finally, the image of her staring at him as she lay dead on the snowy ground of the night. It was then that Snape felt him. A great surge of anger rushing throughout his veins as he glared at the image of Mary on the portrait. He could feel his nails cutting into the skin of his palm as he clenched his fists. A blinding rage was starting to engulf him and he wanted nothing more than to get it out.

"How could you have been so stupid?! All you had to do was stay with Molly and Arthur and instead you come running back like some fucking heroine trying to save the day? If you had gone with them, if you had left, you would still be alive! But no, you had to come back, didn't you?! You came back and instead of stopping the Hooded Man through a disarming spell or a stunning spell or…I don't know… a FUCKING SNOWBALL, you decide to throw yourself in front of me?! ALL FOR WHAT?! TO BE SOME NOBLE FUCKING HERO THAT SAVED MY LIFE?! AND YOU DARED TO YELL AT ME ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD FEEL IF I DIED?! WELL, CONGRATS! THE SHOE'S ON THE OTHER FOOT! YOU'RE DEAD, MARY! YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO GO TO AMERICA! YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO HAVE A FAMILY OR KIDS OR EVEN SEE IF WE COULD HAVE WORKED THINGS OUT. YOU'RE DEAD! AND YOU'RE NEVER COMING BACK!"

Snape grabbed the radio which was no longer playing and threw it against the portrait. It shattered in pieces upon its impact although Mary appeared to be unaffected. Seeing her sympathetic expression still on her face infuriated Snape further.

"FUCK YOU! YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO DIE! YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO MAKE ME CHOOSE BETWEEN YOU AND ALICE!" Snape roared as the heat emanating throughout his body started to rise. "I could have accepted death, there and then. If it had been me, I would have been okay. Why couldn't you have just thrown yourself at him? Why did you wear that stupid cloak and jump in front of him? Was this because I saved you all those years ago from Avery and Mulciber that you felt you had to do the same for me?! Why am I even talking to you? Are you supposed to give me answers? You're not even Mary, you're nothing more than a poor imitation of her! Fuck you for making me feel this way. Go on, get the fuck out! I don't want to see you anymore! JUST FUCKING GO!"

Mary nodded her head feebly as she drifted further into the portrait. Snape watched as her form started to shrink while she move backward until there was nothing more but the darkness of the background staring back at him. The white walls of the room remain but it no longer had the bright atmosphere of a heavenly place. Instead, it felt cold inside the vastness of the room as Snape crashed on the couch. With Mary gone, Snape retreated further into his seat as he allowed the overwhelming sense of loneliness to wrap its cloak around him.

"Why did you leave me, Mary?"

As the tears trickled down his face, Snape hugged his body as if wrapping himself in some invisible cloak while he laid on the white couch as Mary did on the snow, their eyes as lifeless as one another.

…

"Remind me again why we can't ask anyone of the Order to help?" Frank asked as the group sat in an isolated corner of a café in London. Snape had already cast the Silencing Charms as he sat, huddled between James and Lily.

"Because it has to be a covert operation," James answered as his eyes darted around the room. "Look, right now, no one besides us and Dumbledore know about the Horcruxes. We're all not official members of the Order so there's going to be less suspicion on us. To everyone else, we're just a group of teenagers going on a road trip after our graduation. None will be the wiser."

"Okay, but why can't we ask for help from Moody or ask Arthur to follow us?" Peter pleaded as others gave murmurs of agreement. James sighed exasperatedly as he placed his hand on Peter's shoulder.

"Because, Peter, I'm willing to bet that as of right now, Voldemort has spies on all the members of the Order. If even a single member knew what we were up to, someone could use Legilimency or Veritaserum to coax it out of them. We can't have that. And before you ask it, no, we can't ask them to come with us. Think about what the Death Eaters would say? Alastor Moody just decided to chaperone a teenager's road trip? Or Arthur Weasley abandoning his family, when there's no real threat on him yet? And let's not forget the most important reason why can't do that."

James paused for a moment as all eyes turned to the empty chair between Alice and Dorcas. Ever since she died, the group had been leaving gaps whenever they gathered, as if hoping that somehow an invisible presence of Mary still stood with them in the group. Snape could see many eyes starting to water as he too, gratefully, felt the sadness start to rise within him.

"We have to avenge our friend. We owe it to Mary, guys. There's no one else I would want on this mission. We're the DA." James said as he stuck out his hand on the centre of the table. The rest of the group followed suit, placing one hand above the other. Through the warmth of their hands and fingers, Snape felt a strong sense of pride and determination surge throughout his body. As he looked around the table, his gaze was met with similar stares of hardened resolve.

"So what do we do, James?" Remus asked. James turned his head to Snape, who look startled at the gesture. He had gotten used to James taking charge. Not wanting the tension to turn awkward, Snape cleared his throat as he motioned for the rest to get closer.

"Now, we know so far that there are four likely Horcruxes that Voldemort made which are the locket, ring, cup, and diadem. There's also a fifth, which I recently found out from Regulus." Snape said as he informed the group about the diary.

"I knew it! I knew Voldemort opened the Chamber!" James said triumphantly.

"You guys realised what this means," Lily exclaimed. "We already have the location of one known Horcrux."

"Yeah, only that it's in the most heavily guarded house in all of Britain." Dorcas reminded the group glumly. "Not to mention that's where Voldemort probably is, most of the time."

"Hey, you think he might have put a Horcrux inside the Chamber?" Alice asked as everyone turned to her. "I mean, it makes sense. No one knows about the location. It would be secure."

"I think you're on to something there, Alice," Snape said as he watched a faint blush appear on Alice's cheeks. He also spotted Frank looking slightly cross.

"I mean…" Snape stammered as he composed himself. "I mean, think about it. What do we know about Slytherins?"

"That they're all a bunch of arrogant, pretentious fools?" Sirius chuckled while the rest looked stunned. "What?"

"It's nothing, mate," James said as he patted Sirius on the back. "Just that none of us expected you to use the word pretentious."

"Ha-ha," Sirius cried sarcastically. "Can we please move this along?"

"Right," Snape said as he continued to explain. "If you had a part of your soul locked away in an object and you knew that the destruction of it can lead to you losing your life, you would want to put it in a place that's secure."

"But I wouldn't put it in Hogwarts," Frank replied dryly as he glared at Snape. "Why even hide it in Britain? I would scatter it all over the globe. He's already made one dumb move in putting his soul inside of trophies instead of, I don't know, a grain of sand, perhaps? Why risk putting it in places where there's a possibility of people running into it."

"But not the Chamber." Alice protested. "Think about it. A place where reputedly a monster resides and where Voldemort, and only Voldemort, knows the location? It's the perfect hiding place."

"Which makes it all the more difficult to access it." Peter sighed as everyone turned to him. "Guys, let's face it. It's hopeless. Voldemort could have hidden these Horcruxes anywhere."

"Not necessarily," Snape replied. "Like Sirius said, Slytherins are arrogant fools and no one is more arrogant than Tom. He would have consider these Horcruxes to be like trophies and you wouldn't very well stick a trophy you're proud of at some dusty, forgotten cupboard. He would have placed these trophies in places of sentimental value. The diary being at Malfoy Manor, the heart of the Death Eater operations? I think Voldemort did place one in Hogwarts. We should look into it."

"We would need something that can detect Horcruxes," Remus said thoughtfully. "Like a spell of some kind."

"Probably would need to go to Dark Arts books for that. Maybe the Restricted Section?" Dorcas added.

"Okay but before we do that, there is a lead we need to look into," Snape said as he exchanged a look with James. "Dumbledore told us that Slughorn would be retiring this year. Going on a vacation or something like that. He needs us to catch and talk to him."

"Why?" Peter asked.

"Because back when he was a student, Voldemort was apparently very close to Slughorn. If you're going to make Horcruxes, you would need all the help you can get so there's a high possibility that the two have communicated previously."

"Never liked that Slughorn. Typical Slytherin." Sirius growled.

"Nevertheless, someone needs to talk to him," James spoke as he took charge. "Snape here will go and meet with Slughorn today in his office. I want someone to accompany him."

"I'll go." Alice volunteered as Snape pushed against the tide of joy that had slowly bubbled to the surface.

"No, I'll go," Lily replied as Snape noticed a cross look on her face, similar to Frank's though he noticed that Lily was glaring at Alice rather than him. "Slughorn likes the two of us. We're the top of his potions class." Snape felt himself fidgeting in his seat. He could sense the tension between the two girls while Frank still looked slightly miffed at him. Fortunately for Snape, James had swooped in.

"On second thought, I will accompany Snape to meet Slughorn," James said firmly. "He's still packing up in his office. Sirius, you head down to the Burrow. Convince Arthur to let us borrow Perkin's tent, the one he used four years ago."

"Ahhh, what a game. Syria beat Madagascar and that fool Royston Idlewind resigned. I won four galleons on a bet!" Sirius exclaimed while nodding excitedly.

"Focus!" James said. "The rest of you will go home today and pack your things. Go to Diagon Alley and get bottles of Dittany, healing potions, anything you will need for in a fight. Put Extendable Charms on your bags so you can fit all your clothes in as well as food. Tell your family that you're going on a road trip and if there are any protests, say that it's Dumbledore approved. He helped draft a letter should you need it. If word gets out about what we're doing, then we would have to be on our own so be prepared. Let's reconvene at the Shrieking Shack at dawn tomorrow. Here, take these."

James passed around Sickles to each member. "They're fitted with a Protean Charm. It's how we will communicate from now on."

"So we're really doing this, huh," Frank said as he admired his Sickle. "Nine teenagers hunting down Horcruxes."

"Not to forget, once we've destroyed them all, we would still need to take on Voldemort," Dorcas interjected as Peter sighed.

"We're really screwed. How are we supposed to take on the Darkest wizard of all time? This is crazy!"

"Don't fret, Peter," James spoke as he comforted his friend. "You're a Gryffindor. All you need is your courage, your strength, and your friends."

"Not to mention, luck. Lots of luck." Snape chuckled as a strange thought crossed his mind.

…..

"Seven?! He made seven Horcruxes!" James roared as he punched against the wall in frustration. "Damn it Slughorn! Why didn't you tell anyone about this! Now we have to find two more items!"

"Actually, I believe we don't have to," Snape said as James gave him a confused stare. "The seventh Horcrux would have to be inside of Voldemort himself, he needs to keep part of his soul there. We already know that he made five and is looking for one more, preferably an artefact of Gryffindor which we both know, he won't get so easily."

Snape watched as James paced about the deserted Gryffindor common room. They had gone straight there after talking to Slughorn, whom Snape had suspected wouldn't willingly part with such knowledge that would have made him a pariah within the wizarding community. Fortunately, he and James had taken some of the Felix Felicis potion that Lily and Snape had prepared beforehand, allowing them to capitalise on Slughorn's guilt and coercing him into talking about his conversation with Tom Riddle all those years ago.

"Do you think Alice is right?" James blurted out randomly as Snape gave him a puzzled look. "That Voldemort might have placed it here within the castle? Like in the Chamber of Secrets?"

"It's worth looking at," Snape replied as James merely nodded along while pacing furiously around the common room. He could understand James's impatience. James was a man of action, always willing to move forward rather than stay at one spot. His eagerness to fly into action was what literally helped him to many victories on the Quidditch pitch. Willing himself to do the same, Snape got up from his seat and walked towards the door.

"I'm going to the library to do research on the Chamber. Let's meet up with Sirius for dinner at Hogsmeade." Snape said as James merely nodded, his thoughts elsewhere. Walking down the tower, Snape soon found himself at a familiar part of the seventh-floor corridor.

All thoughts of Horcruxes and Chambers vanished from his mind as Snape recalled his last visit to the Room of Requirement. After his breakdown in the room, Snape had felt a large weight lifted from his shoulders as he emerged out. He had assumed the room to be gone forever, its purpose served as Snape felt ready to focus on the task at hand. Yet as he passed the tapestry, there it was. The familiar red door stood tall in front of him.

Snape could a feel a part of him wanting to make his way towards the library and yet, a stronger part was pushing him to the door. Giving in to his curiosity, Snape made his way inside the vast, white room once more where the couch laid in front of the portrait with the radio intact, playing the Bob Dylan song.

Mary was smiling at him once more as Snape heaved a sigh before making his way to the couch. He grunted before throwing himself on the couch while staring at the image of Mary before him.

"Why are you still here?"

Despite the nature of his words, there was no contempt inside Snape's voice. Instead, it seemed to have dulled to a passive state with a mild sense of curiosity.

"Isn't it obvious?" Mary replied as she grinned at Snape. "We're not done yet."

"I'm not going to apologise." Snape cried out adamantly as he folded his arms.

"Why should you? You did what you needed to do." Mary replied in her gentle voice. "One should never apologise for wanting to let out their feelings."

"Well, we've done that and I feel better so if you don't mind…"

"Do you have other things to do?"

"As a matter of fact, I have," Snape said before hesitating. He had almost divulged the secret of the Horcrux Hunt.

"You can tell me," Mary said as if sensing Snape's reluctance. "I only appear to you and I have kept many secrets." Realising that Mary was right, Snape explained about the mission to find the Horcruxes.

"Fascinating," Mary said before breaking out in a fit of giggles. Snape was flabbergasted. He didn't expect such a reaction.

"Forgive me," Mary spoke as she composed herself. "It's just I find the idea of one trying to suppress death quite ludicrous. Do all you wizards think that immortality is a gift?"

"Well…" Snape paused before answering. Mary frowned upon Snape's reaction.

"Interesting," Mary exclaimed as she sat down with her legs crossed. "Why would anyone want to conquer death? It would seem to me that immortality would be a curse rather than a gift."

"Why would you say that?" Snape asked curiously.

"Well, because, if one was immortal, it would mean there is no end in sight. One would continue to exist for centuries and centuries to come, like a ghost, seeing the world pass by day after day. Even if this Voldemort of whom you speak does manage to get immortality, what would he do once he conquers the world?"

"Rule it, of course."

"And then what? Make the world in his image? Torture generation after generation? Wouldn't it get boring? After he has accomplish every goal he has sought after, there would be nothing left. Nothing to do but exist day after day. If anything, I feel sorry for him."

"Sorry for Voldemort?!" Snape cried incredulously.

"Yes, sorry." Mary continued, ignoring Snape's reaction. "Imagine you're eating an ice cream. With every lick, the ice cream gets smaller and smaller. You know that eventually it will be all gone but the ice cream tastes so delicious that you wish you could eat it forever. But you know you can't so what do you do? You savour it. Every lick, every bite becomes meaningful to you in some way. But what if the ice cream didn't melt? What if you could continue licking it forever? Eventually, the delicious taste will turn stale and your joy becomes tiresome to the point you can no longer appreciate the beauty that it once was."

"Perhaps," Snape said after giving it some thought. "But it doesn't change what we're doing."

"You're right, of course," Mary replied. "I merely wanted you to realise that death, despite how tragic it may be, is still very much needed. Death adds beauty and meaning to life."

"I've already told you how I felt," Snape said irritably. The initial fear and awe at the sublimity of the room had long since evaporated. He had more pressing matters to attend to. As such, a thought struck Snape.

"Do you happen to know where the Chamber of Secrets is built? We think there might be a Horcrux there."

"The Chamber was constructed after my time by Salazar himself and though I am what you may call the heart of Hogwarts itself, I cannot sense its presence. Nor will it be of any use to you as according to legend, only the Heir of Slytherin may open the Chamber."

"Which would make it a good hiding place." Snape sighed.

"Good, yes, but not quite the most effective," Mary answered as her blue eyes twinkled. "You said so yourself that the diary opens the Chamber which would mean that your Voldemort intends to do the same. It would thus be too risky having a Horcrux lead to the discovery of another Horcrux. With the Chamber open, its security would be less secure."

"Where else would Voldemort put it?" Snape groaned. "We're certain he should have left one at Hogwarts. This was his school, after all, his home. It's of special value to him. Where else in Hogwarts could you hide a Horcrux?"

Mary smiled knowingly at Snape who took a moment for the thought to register.

" _Here?!"_

"Where else?"

"But there's nothing here but you and these items!" Snape replied as he pointed towards the couch and radio.

Mary gave a slight chuckle. "Remember what I told you? You need to ask me specifically for what you need. As long as you step out of my room and ask me specifically for what you need, I will provide. I will save you some trouble though. I cannot provide you with the Horcrux specifically. I don't even know if it is in here but I can tell you this. That boy you speak of, Tom Riddle, he was in here before."

Snape gasped as he stood from his couch. "So he did hide something in Hogwarts! I knew it!"

"Go out, pace three times and ask me for the place where all things are hidden. I believe that is where you might find what you seek."

Snape thanked Mary before bolting from the room. He could feel his eagerness growing inside of him. Once he was outside, Snape began to pace back and forth across the corridor, his mind racing over and over. Yet no matter how many times he tried, the door simply did not appear.

 _Come on!_ Snape thought angrily as he stopped pacing before focusing all his energy on the wall. _I need to find the place where Tom hid it. The place where things are hidden!_

Almost instantly, Snape could see a door materialise in front of him though this was dark brown compared to red that he was used to. Holding his breath, Snape reached for the handle before pushing the door slowly. His eyes widened at the sight of what was in front of him.

"Merlin's beard!" Snape cried as he realised just how much harder their task was going to be.

…

"You got to be shitting me." James cried as he and the DA stared at the daunting task at hand.

Though the room with Mary was huge in itself, it was nothing compared to the Room of Hidden Things as Snape named it. There were towering stacks and stacks of items piled on top of each other, some as large as hills dwarfing anyone who entered the place. Countless items from forgotten paintings, to books, to old broken brooms, filled the Room and as they gazed up at the huge piles in front of them, several members of the DA could only shake their head in response. Snape couldn't even see the walls of the room as they were hidden behind gigantic stacks.

"This place is ENORMOUS!" Sirius shouted as his voice echoed throughout the walls.

"Are you sure the Horcrux is hidden here?" James asked.

"Positive," Snape replied. He had already informed them about how he came about the room, only substituting the portrait of Mary for another made-up portrait which told him about Voldemort's visits to the room. For some reason, Snape wanted to keep the secret of Mary all to himself.

"Well, how are we supposed to find it?" Peter said while scratching his head.

"We don't even know what we're looking for," Frank added. "It could be the locket, ring, cup or diadem."

"Or nothing at all." Remus sighed.

"What about a Summoning spell?" Dorcas proposed as Snape shook his head.

"I tried that. I tried summoning all four items but nothing seems to work. It's either the enchantment of the Horcrux or the enchantment of the Room or both. Either way, we can't Summon it."

"Not to mention, how are we supposed to know if an item is a Horcrux," Alice spoke as she kicked a pile of books in the corner.

"Well, according to Snape, Regulus did mention feeling a sense of dread when he was near the diary." Lily reasoned. "This item has Dark magic in it. We can probably sense it."

"Great so let's just split up and go look for it," Sirius said sarcastically. "We split into teams and go through each stack day by day until we find it. I wonder how long that is going to take us. Right, James? James?!"

Sirius turned to James who was no longer on the ground. Instead, James had taken a broom and flown up to the roof of the Room before flying back down again.

"It's not as bad as it looks," James said once he touched down. "I've seen the wall. It's not far ahead, just hidden by the stacks. We should go through the items one by one."

"You can't be serious!" Frank exclaimed. "Do you have any idea how long that's going to take us."

"We don't have much time." James continued, ignoring Frank. "We have three months until the start of school, by which we have to come up with some way to continue searching. If by the end of the year, we haven't found anything then I say we move on. We can all be on the road and we'll start on places Tom visited. Maybe we will get lucky."

"Lucky!" Sirius said turning to Snape and Lily. The pair exchanged looks at each other before Lily spoke.

"We're out of Felix Felicis, Sirius." Lily sighed. "Not to mention the potion takes six months to concoct and even then we can't be sure of its success. Besides, Felix Felicis can only be consumed sparingly. James and Severus can't take any more for quite some time."

"Why not?" Peter asked.

"Because of its side effects. You can only create a small amount of Felix and even then, continued use of it can make you delusional, not to mention kill you. The recommended use is once every year so James and I will have to wait a bit." Snape answered.

"Nevertheless, we would still need it. Make another one as soon as you can." James said to Lily who merely nodded.

"Even then it would take six months," Dorcas spoke. "Isn't there a better way to do this?"

"Like what? I'm open to suggestions." James said as he looked at the group. No one gave a reply.

"What will we do if we find it?" Peter said, after some time. "Do we know how to destroy it?"

"One problem at a time, Peter. Let's just find it here. I know, it seems hard but we have to…."

"Hard?" Frank said as he stood up from the chair he was seated in. "Hard? This is freaking impossible, mate! You want us to spend our time here, on a hunch we don't even know if it's right!"

"Why? Is there somewhere you need to be?" James said irritably.

"I'm just trying to be realistic," Frank replied, backing down.

"Frank's right," Dorcas said. "Is this the best use of our time?"

"The best use of your time?" James said indignantly as he stood up on a desk before yelling. "What do you guys think we would be doing when we agreed to hunt down Horcruxes? Do you think there's some map where X marks the spot? Look, you guys better get on board with this. All we know is that Voldemort made seven Horcruxes and we know what five of them are! We know where one is but we can't hit Malfoy Manor just yet. We know we have to destroy all six Horcruxes before we can kill the last one that resides in Voldemort. These Horcruxes could be anywhere! It could be here, it could be at Hogsmeade, at Gringotts, hell, even out of Britain! Right now, one of us here has good intel that one of the Horcruxes could be here. I say we stop wasting time and start looking!"

James got down from the desk as he approached the group. Snape could see that he was trying to compose himself.

"Look, nobody said this was going to be easy. This hunt could take weeks, months, maybe even years. Even then, we don't have much time. Each day, Voldemort grows in power and he will consume the world unless we do something about it. I know that some of you just want to wait for your NEWT results and go have a career. I want that too. But none of that is going to happen unless we stop Voldemort. He killed our friend, guys. HE KILLED MARY!"

Upon mentioning Mary's name, Snape could see the sadness in everyone's eyes. It was only then that Snape truly realised how everyone in the DA was still affected by Mary's death. He could see it dawning on each member, the truth behind James's words. They were the only ones who knew his secret, the only ones who could stop him. They couldn't afford to fail.

"I can work on the potion," Lily spoke, breaking the silence. "Someone should work on finding out how to destroy Horcruxes, maybe work with Dumbledore."

"I have an idea," Remus spoke as everyone turned to him. "I don't think we should give up on ways to detect Horcruxes. Maybe we could charm an object that will lead us to it. Think about it. A Horcrux is an object of immense Dark energy. Something that powerful could surely attract something."

"But Remus," Severus said. "Even if we could enchant an object, it would need to be done using Dark Magic. According to my research, a Horcrux would defend itself from any form of Light Magic being used."

"So we just need a Dark Wizard. Anyone has any Slytherins on speed-dial?" Sirius chuckled, hoping to lighten the mood.

"No mere Slytherin can pull this off." Snape sighed. "It would have to be a Dark Wizard of enormous capacity and even then, someone who's willing to go against Voldemort. But I can't see any Dark Wizard doing something like that, let alone keeping it a secret. Face it, we don't know of anyone who fits that description."

"Maybe we do," Remus said as he smiled.

….

As Dumbledore appeared onto the snowy mountaintop, he noticed the grey skies above the derelict castle. The castle itself was Unplottable and had Anti-Apparition charms. Although Dumbledore was able to bypass those charms, most of it set by himself, he rather fancied a short walk on a hidden path located behind the castle through the mountain terrain. It had been quite a journey from Albania to Austria so Dumbledore made himself a Portkey, knowing full well that to request one from the Ministry would have entailed a series of questions he rather not waste his time on. Time was precious to him, after all.

Having been informed of the Horcruxes as well as the Room of Requirement, Dumbledore marvelled at how, despite his long age, he still had much to learn about the magical world. Indeed, the Room had not come as a surprise to him, he himself had been in there whilst it was a bathroom but never appeared before Dumbledore again. The Horcruxes, however, were an entirely different matter. Though he promised to leave the task to James and his crew, his curiosity had forced him to return to the places that Tom was reputed to have gone, most notably in Albania. Perhaps he should have looked into places from his memories. Dumbledore made a mental note to visit the Gaunt shack once more as he arrived at the front of the castle.

Though the Ministry used Azkaban as a prison, there were other magical prisons as well. Some wizards and witches did crimes on an international level and jurisdiction as well as red tape made it difficult to decide where to place them. Dumbledore took a moment to reflect on the fortress that stood before him.

Nuremgard Castle.

A shiver went up his spine as Dumbledore recalled the history of the place. He knew this place well, of course, having place many criminals behind bars here but none came close to the most dangerous one, the one who used to rule this castle before Dumbledore took him down in 1945. The castle was impressive in the old days, used primarily for duelling and for storing those who were unfortunate to fall beneath the feet of his foe. For a moment, Dumbledore could see the words that were once carved over the entrance, a slogan that Dumbledore himself once believed in.

For the Greater Good.

 _Indeed, it was_ Dumbledore thought sadly as his mind drifted to earlier times. A guard welcomed him at the entrance and took him to the highest tower. As he walked up the steps to the top-most cell, Dumbledore reached into his robes. He had the Elder Wand in his hand but the other grasp another shorter, smaller wand as well as a box that shook slightly upon his touch. Once they reached the top, the guard descended while Dumbledore peered through the small viewing hole at the door. The room much too narrow for a man to leave or enter and it had a small window. There, underneath the blanket, laid an old, wizened man staring back at him with similar blue eyes as if trying to sense if he, Dumbledore, was real. His hair was no longer its familiar blonde but instead grew long and white. Dumbledore cleared his throat before speaking in a calm voice.

"Hello, Gellert. How are you?"

Once Dumbledore spoke, the man rose to his feet quickly as if drawing strength from Dumbledore's voice. The man approached slowly as he shook with each step. Putting his wand against the door, Dumbledore lifted the charms and unlocked the door. Though this was most definitely not allowed, Dumbledore knew he had no choice. He needed to speak to Grindelwald and a wooden door would only be an annoying obstacle.

"Albus. How long has it been?" Grindelwald spoke in a hoarse yet clear voice, his eyes never leaving Dumbledore's face.

"I need your help, Gellert. Perhaps you heard of Lord Voldemort?"

Dumbledore had ignored Grindelwald's question for several reasons. He knew that Grindelwald, like Voldemort, was a master manipulator and had, in the past, manipulate him as well. Dumbledore had cautioned himself into playing Grindelwald's game. He would not allow himself to be swayed like in the past.

"You came to meet me to talk about him? You insult me, my friend." Grindelwald chuckled, his confidence clearly returning. "I thought that I've seen a ghost."

"Maybe I am. After all, we are dead to each other." Dumbledore replied coldly, his mind reliving the horrors of the past.

"You could have done that years ago, Dumbledore. And yet, you refused. Must be difficult." Grindelwald said as he leaned against the wall. "Having to let me live."

"Only for you to fulfil a purpose, I know not what then but I do know now," Dumbledore said as he removed the shaking box and the wand. "I need your help."

"You're going to give me a wand?" Grindelwald said incredulously.

"You'll need one though not as good as the one I have, I'm afraid," Dumbledore said as he smirked before throwing the small wand at Grindelwald. Grindelwald looked shocked as he held the wand before smiling at Dumbledore.

"I'll bite. What do you want of me?" Grindelwald asked as Dumbledore opened the box.

"Tell me, Gellert, what do you know of Horcruxes?"

…

"It's been months!" Snape roared as he threw himself on the couch from exhaustion. The search had not gone well and they were no sooner to discovering the Horcruxes as the Chudley Cannons were to a Quidditch title. The only piece of good news was that Dumbledore had discovered a way to detect Horcruxes but even then, it would take time. Grindelwald was not the easiest person to work with and Snape felt guilty even asking Dumbledore of such a task. Nevertheless, it was crucial that they kept going. School had already started and Lily's Felix potion needed another four months to brew.

"It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop. Rowena once said that to me. She heard it from a famous Chinese wizard during her days travelling the Orient." Mary sat as she leaned against the side of her portrait while playing with her hair.

"Yes, but it's far too slow." Snape retorted. "Are you sure you can't just tell us the location? We don't even know if we're looking in the right place."

"Maybe we ought to be talking about other things?" Mary asked as she gave Snape a hopeful look.

"Like what?"

"Well, for a start, let us talk about you…"

"No," Snape said firmly as he averted his gaze.

"Why are you being so stubborn?"

"Why are you being so persistent?" Snape yelled back as he glared at Mary. "I'm fine. We just need to find the Horcruxes."

"You are not fine." Mary insisted as she shook her head. "I've been trying to get you to open up for months and though you claim not to need me, here I am, present as always. What are you afraid of, Severus?"

"I'm not afraid of anything. I just prefer we don't speak of it." Snape replied curtly.

"But we need to, Severus. Just like the Horcruxes, dealing with death is a long and arduous journey. You can't just leave it like that."

"Why not?" Snape countered. "Why can't I leave it unfinished?"

"Because that is what's bothering you." Mary sighed as she stood. "You perceive life like a book. With a beginning, a middle and an end. You see life as if you have to accomplish certain stages. From growing as a toddler, to school, to work, to marriage, kids and finally old age. But that's where you're wrong. Life isn't a book. It is more like a ball rolling down a hallway."

Snape said nothing as Mary continued to explain.

"When you are born, the ball starts rolling. It stops only when you die or when you reach the end of the hallway. So as the ball starts rolling in the hallway, the hallway itself isn't empty. There are a few obstacles in its path just like your brushes with death. Though the ball is supposed to reach the end of the hallway, sometimes its path is impeded by these obstacles. When Mary died, her ball hit one of these obstacles and stops but yours is still rolling, Severus."

"What about if someone were to be caught between life and death?" Severus asked, humouring Mary's assertion.

"Then the ball has hit a speed bump and can only decide if it were to roll forward or stop at the top of the bump." Mary giggle as Snape gave a light chuckle.

"This is all very interesting but I think I'm going to leave," Snape said as he stood up.

"I thought you cared for Mary, Severus. Guess I was wrong." Mary said in a soft whisper. Snape turned to face her.

"Of course I care about Mary. How could you say such a thing?" Snape said hotly. Mary shot Snape a glare as the latter shuddered under the gaze. He had not meant to upset the entity.

"You said you care for her and yet, here you are trying to find Horcruxes and go on this ridiculous quest just so you can avenge her death. Tell me Severus, is that what Mary would have wanted? For you all to go kill yourselves for her?"

"Of course not!" Snape replied instinctively though inside, he reluctantly admitted that Mary had a point. His Mary would have never want her friends to be in danger. "We want her avenge her death as well as make the world a better place. This has to be done."

"Don't lie to me, Severus. A huge part of your quest is because of Mary. In fact, I daresay it's only for Mary."

"No, it's not!" Severus snapped.

"Tell me Severus, was Mary a good person? Was she kind? Did she love you?"

"Yes, but I don't see-"

"Exactly!" Mary interrupted, stamping her foot on the ground. "You don't see! Mary loved you, Severus. She loved you. Do you think this is what she would have wanted? For you to work yourself up, throw yourself towards certain death, not wanting to move on? You don't honour the dead with vengeance, you honour it with the love you have for them, the same love that they have for you. Tell me, Severus, if you and Mary had switched places and you could see her now, would you honestly want her to go through what you and your friends are doing, fuelled by vengeance and rage? What would Mary want?"

Snape couldn't answer. He couldn't focus on Mary. Instead, his mind went back to a conversation he had with Lily years ago.

 _To truly love someone…it means to care for them more than you care about yourself_

"If I were in Mary's shoes, I would want her to move on," Snape whispered as the portrait of Mary smiled at him.

"Wouldn't she want the same for you?"

 _Yes, she would_ thought Snape as he looked up at the portrait.

"I know what you're feeling, Sev. Your guilt for that particular thought at Godric's Hollow all those months ago. But you can't go around feeling guilty. I may not be Mary but I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, she would have wanted you to be happy and to move on. Her ball has stopped but yours continue to roll. Honour her memory, Severus."

With that Mary departed from the portrait, leaving nothing but a empty background staring back at Snape.

…..

Snape threw aside the pile of books in front of him as he collapsed into a chair. It was almost the end of December and they were no closer to finding the Horcrux. Ever since the talk he had with Mary in the room, Severus soon found that he was unable to return to the room. Each time he pictured the red door, only the stone wall of the castle stared back at him. He had an idea, of course, of why the room wasn't showing himself to him.

"Hey, fancy a walk?"

Snape turned to see Alice smiling at him. He could the sweat dripping down her face as she straightened and tied up her brown hair. Her warm smile made his heart beat faster as he stared into her blue eyes. He merely nodded his head as Alice dragged him out of the room. Walking out of Hogwarts and into the grounds, Snape took a moment to relish the cool winter breeze flowing onto his face. He noticed the tent next to Hagrid's Hut where James had placed ever since school started. It was their living quarters while they stayed at Hogwarts. For a moment, he thought Alice would be bringing him there but instead, she went past the hut towards a very familiar place.

"I guess we can all see them now," Snape said as he and Alice sat in front of the Thestrals who were now resting beneath a huge birch tree.

"I can't believe this is what you and Mary saw every time you came here. I always thought those carriages pulled themselves." Alice replied as Snape noticed how she leaned against him. They rarely had a moment like this for the past year. He had spent the first half ignoring her while the second was spent finding the Horcrux.

"James said that we should wear black for New Years. You know, to mourn Mary." Snape said as he watched the beautiful witch next to him. Alice said nothing as she stared at the Thestrals, some of which were stirring in their sleep.

"How are you, Alice?" Snape said as he turned to face her. He could see her staring at the Thestrals though she had a frown on her face. Letting out a sigh, Alice turned to him.

"Frank and I broke up a week ago."

"What?!" Snape cried, out loud. "Are you okay?"

"Strangely, yes," Alice said with a sigh. "Frank and I haven't been good in months. After what happened to Mary, he got rather clingy to me. Overprotective. Not that I blame him, of course, who knows how I would have reacted if it was him who came that close to death. It's just with everything happening around us, the last thing we need is to be bogged down by romantic troubles."

"Surely it can't be all that bad." Snape reasoned though it pained his heart to say it. "Frank's a good guy, Alice."

"He is, I didn't say that he wasn't!" Alice replied defensively as Snape cringed under her tone. Alice noticed his reaction and gave Snape an apologetic look.

"Sorry. Force of habit. Dorcas has been bothering me though she and Remus seemed to be doing well. Look at us, James and Lily broke up, Frank and I broke up."

"Mary and me," Snape replied softly as Alice turned to stare at him before pulling him into a hug. He could smell her lavender perfume as he felt his best friend squeezing him tightly. The warmth of the embrace only intensified the heat that had been radiating throughout his body. Snape noted, though rather shamefully, that a certain part of him was responding happily as well.

"I wish it was me, you know," Alice said as she pulled away. "I rather the curse had hit me."

"No!" Snape said with such fervour that it shocked Alice. Giving her a sheepish look, Snape let out a sigh.

"You shouldn't say that. It shouldn't have been either of you. The curse was aimed for me."

"You can't expect us to sit there and do nothing." Alice cried.

"It would have been better," Snape replied as Alice stood up angrily.

"Better? Better for whom?" Alice yelled as she placed her arms on her hips. Her tone had disrupted the sleep of the Thestrals who were now awake and pacing about the tree.

"You think you should have died because it would be better?" Alice continued as she glowered at Snape. "Without you around, there be no one who would tell us about the Horcruxes and Voldemort would have continued to grow in power until we all die! Not to mention how devastated we would all be? James would be a wreck! Lily would go crazy! Mary would blame herself for running away and I…I would…I would lose my best friend. Do you have any idea what I would feel having to watch you die?"

"Yes, I would," Snape said as he stood in front of her. "I saw you die, in case you've forgotten, Alice."

"I just passed out from the impact of throwing myself at you!" Alice snapped.

"And I thought you died!" Snape snapped back. "I saw you there on the ground, not making a sound and I feared the worst. Do you know what it feels like, to touch your cold skin and see you lying there with your eyes shut while I screamed your name and begged you to wake up! You can't possibly imagine how it feels. When I thought you died, a part of me died as well and if that had happened, I prayed that the Hooded Man would kill me so that I would never have to live in this world without you, Alice! You're my best friend! You made me feel things, experience things that I never would have done in a million years! I can't survive with you, Alice. So much so that I even…"

Snape paused as he fell to the ground. He could feel the tears ready to fall once more.

"Even what?" Alice barked before seeing his expression and softening hers. "Even what?" Alice whispered as she sat in front of him. Snape took one look into her eyes and knew that this was it. This was the moment.

"You want to know why I never talked about Mary to anyone during those earlier months? It was because I was ashamed. I was ashamed and guilty for thinking something so awful. When I realised you were alive and that it was Mary who died, there was this thought stuck in my head."

"Which was?"

"That it was Mary who died and not you," Snape replied, realising that this was the first time he had revealed the truth. "I was her boyfriend, okay former boyfriend, so how could I have thought such a thing? So I threw myself into finding out her killer, finding out about Voldemort and the Horcruxes. I thought if I manage to defeat Voldemort, I could purge myself of this sickening feeling. I could honour her memory and feel better about myself. But I know now. There's nothing I can do about it. I'm just awful."

"No, Sev," Alice spoke as she cupped her hands on his face. "You're not."

"There's nothing you can say that –"

"I thought the same thing too," Alice whispered as she heaved a sigh.

"WHAT?!"

"When the curse hit you and I realise that Mary had saved you, I was upset by her death. Yet later, I thought to myself and yes, that thought crossed my mind as well. It's not an evil thought, Sev, just a human one." Alice said as her eyes sparkled with tears as well.

It was like being hit by the Knight Bus. Words failed him as Snape struggled to speak.

"You…thought…"

"I know." Alice sighed as she wiped the tears that were brimming from her eyes. "I know we're not supposed to choose. But just because I think that, doesn't mean I don't care for Mary nor do I mourn her in that way. Mary and I had a wonderful friendship, Sev and no one can ever take that away from us. I will always miss her and I will always love her. One day, if by some miracle, we all survive this, I'm going to tell my kids about her. About my friend Mary McDonald and how she stood up against evil to save someone I care about deeply."

"Alice…" Snape whispered as he felt himself leaning in towards her. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as all the noise around them vanished. There was only Alice, her brown hair, her blue eyes, her lips which started to tremble as Snape… "GUYS!"

The sound of somebody shouting broke Snape out of his trance as he and Alice rushed to their feet. Snape could see Peter standing just before Hagrid's vegetable patch, waving his hands frantically.

"James wants us all at the tent! We got something!"

Snape and Alice exchanged looks before running after Peter and into the enchanted tent. A long table was set in the middle of the room and Snape could see they were the last ones to arrive. He ignored a questioning look from Lily as he saw Frank avert his eyes as soon as Alice entered. Sitting himself next to James, he could see all eyes were on the tenth person in the room.

Dumbledore was beaming at them as he removed a small wooden box from his robes though he seemed to struggle with the task. He placed the wooden box on the table.

"I would like to say that I am proud of each and every one of you for the hard work you've put in these months. Suffice to say, I do apologise for not being able to be of assistance sooner but Grindelwald was quite a difficult person to work with, not to mention the charm took quite some time to create. I've heard that young Miss Evans here has been working hard on the potion and I'm quite happy to report that luck has come your way without any of you having to take a single drop."

Dumbledore opened the box and out flew a tiny golden ball with wings flying around the tent. James gasped as he caught it in his hands.

"A golden Snitch?" James said as he gave Dumbledore a puzzled look.

"This is no ordinary Snitch. This Snitch is able to sense the presence of a Horcrux should one be fortunate or unfortunate to be in the presence of one. The Snitch will help detect your Horcrux and from there, you can destroy it."

"We can finally stop searching!" Sirius roared happily as he gave the Snitch a nudge.

"But we still haven't found a way to destroy it." Lily cried as Dumbledore gave a light chuckle.

"Actually, I think I may have a solution that will assist you in destroying the remaining three Horcruxes."

"Don't you mean four?" Dorcas replied as Snape could see a twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes. There was another ruffling of the robes as Dumbledore placed what appeared to be a broken ring in front of them.

"You see, in my travels, I paid a visit to the Gaunt shack where I found…." Dumbledore's voice trailed off as Snape half-listened to Dumbledore's story on how he found the ring at the Gaunt shack and destroyed it Instead, most of his attention was on the infected right hand of Dumbledore which he tried to hide behind his back.

…..

"So you destroyed the diadem," Mary said in awe as she gave Snape a smile.

"Yes," Snape replied as he smiled back. "The snitch hovered around this old, discoloured tiara near a busted-up warlock. We used the sword of Gryffindor to destroy it and left the remains in the room. It's harmless now."

"And the sword was in the Hat all this time?"

"Yes, it was," Snape said as he stared at the radio which was silent. "Turns out Dumbledore knew where the sword was, all along. Just needed a true Gryffindor to pull it out so James took one hand in and out came the sword. Dumbledore placed Basilisk venom on the sword's blade. Basilisk venom is extremely potent which makes it a good way to destroy Horcruxes. As the sword is made of Goblin's silver, it imbibes substances which strengthens it, making it a useful tool for us."

"And you mentioned that Dumbledore took care of another Horcrux?"

"Yes, the ring. So that leaves us with the cup, locket, and diary. Unless, of course, Voldemort creates another one."

"I'm proud of you, Severus," Mary exclaimed as she beamed at him. "You managed to overcome your demons and now, you and your friends are going to save the world."

"Yeah, only took us like a year," Snape said jokingly as he and Mary shared a laugh before silence came between them once more. Snape watched as Mary stood up.

"This is the last time I'm going to see you, isn't it?" Snape spoke as a pained look crossed his face. Mary offered him a bittersweet smile.

"You don't need me anymore, Severus."

"It's just hard saying goodbye," Snape whispered as he took in the majesty of the room, for what must be the last time.

"Who said anything about goodbye, Sev?" Mary replied in a gentle voice as Snape approached her. "Don't forget, I'm not actually Mary. I'm just an illusion put forth so that I could help you with moving on. But you don't need me anymore, Sev. So I will no longer exist."

"Thank you." Snape cried as he offered Mary a bittersweet smile while trying to fight away the tears "Thank you for everything."

Snape stretched his hand as his fingers caressed the left cheek of Mary. Though all he felt was a smooth canvas, Snape could not help but shed a tear as he smiled at the image of the blonde-haired witch with piercing blue eyes. Mary would be forever etched into his memory as Snape took the moment to study every nook and cranny of her face. As he removed his hand from the painting, Mary took a step back as Snape was now aware that the brightness in the room appeared to grow by the second. He could hear the walls moving as they reverberated behind him while the whiteness of the walls started to brighten with each passing moment. In the light, Mary's skin began to glow as Snape was swept away by the radiance of his former love. He could hear the radio play that familiar song as Mary spoke to him while she started walking backward.

"Sev, could you do something for me? I know it's what Mary would have wanted."

"What is it?" Snape asked as Mary started to shrink in size. Her voice sounded so far away as Snape watched her fade into the darkness.

"Help the others," Mary called out as the brightness of the room started to blind him. When Snape opened his eyes, he found himself staring at the red door while he sat next to the tapestry of Barnabus. As he watched the red door start to shrink, Snape's thoughts turned to the room's final request.

…

"Sev, what's going on?" James asked as Snape watched the entire DA trudge out of the tent. He could see that they were all wearing black robes with the girls wearing black hair accessories as well. Snape said nothing as he pointed towards the ten items he had placed neatly on the ground, each with a name written on it.

"Fireworks?" Lily said as she and the others inspected the firework rockets in front of them.

"Why does it have our names written on it?" James demanded as the group turned their attention towards Snape. Snape turned to the castle which was mostly empty as it was New Year's. Snape cleared his throat as he looked up at the night. There were a few dark clouds but other than that, it was as clear as it could be with the stars shimmering throughout the sky.

"A year ago, we lost someone very important to us. And for the longest time, I was suffering and trying to deal with it the best way I can. All I could think about was how much I wanted to hurt those who took her from us and how much I just wanted to get my life back on track. But someone dear to me reminded me of something and just like at Hogwarts, I learnt a very important lesson."

Snape smiled as he stared back at the eight people hanging on his every word.

"We all cope in different ways. Some of us throw ourselves work, some of us shut down and some of us try to find someone to blame. We are all going on this Horcrux hunt because we want to avenge the loss of Mary. But Mary is dead, guys. She died a year ago."

Snape could see the pain in their eyes as he thought about that night. How he felt staring into her lifeless eyes as she laid on the snowy ground.

"But she isn't gone. Mary is always going to be with us and if she were here, I know she wouldn't want us to wallow in misery on this day of all days. Mary loved each and every one of us just like we loved her. And we owe it to her, not to rush into danger but to live our lives the best we can. To cherish and celebrate every moment we share. We had a year to mourn Mary but now, now we should celebrate her life instead. And when we go and destroy the Horcruxes, we do it not because of vengeance but because we want to make the world a better and safer place just as Mary would have strived to do so."

Snape glanced at James who was staring at him.

"James, I respect your idea of wanting to mourn for Mary but frankly, I'm tired of feeling down and gloomy while I relive the most horrifying day of my life. I rather spend it thinking about all the times she made us laugh and made us happy. We've given the Death Eaters enough power… I say we count down at the end of the New Year and let a rocket out at each second. There's ten of us so it's perfect. Let's celebrate our lives. "

Snape looked at his watch before pointing to the first rocket. "James, care to do the honours?"

"10!"

James raised his wand at the rocket which flew into the air, bursting into a million red sparks. The other members of the DA started to cheer as they lined up for their turn.

 _9_

Sirius yelled as his rocket burst into waves of pink.

 _8_

Remus could only laugh as his sparks formed the shape of a bright, brown wolf.

 _7_

Peter looked pleased at the huge ball of yellow lights in the air.

 _6_

Frank howled a Hufflepuff cheer as a gold badger raced through the clouds.

 _5_

Dorcas gave Remus a kiss as a purple flower bloomed above them.

 _4_

Everyone laughed at Lily's firework whose orange sparks formed a shape of a bottle which James dubbed the Felix Felicis firework.

 _3_

Alice could only grin as two blue balls of lights formed in the sky, reflecting her eyes.

 _2_

Snape exchanged looks with James and Sirius who pretended to be hurt as a long and green serpent-like light glided above Hogwarts.

"Last one!" Peter cried excitedly. "Quick, let's get it up there before the new year!"

"I hate to break it to you, Peter." Remus laughed as the others laughed along with him. "But it's already the new year. What we did definitely took more than ten seconds."

"Well, this is the new year for us then!" James said as he looked towards Snape. Instead of raising his wand, Snape took out a lighter before reaching to the ground and pulling up the fuse.

"I thought we light this up the Muggle way," Snape said as the lighter sparked the fuse to life. Watching the fuse burn, the DA placed their arms around one another.

"Get ready, guys. This one is special." Snape said as he watched the fuse. Somewhere at the back of his mind, a familiar tune started to play.

 **Mama, take this badge off of me** **  
** **I can't use it anymore** **  
** **It's gettin' dark, too dark for me to see** **  
** **I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door**

Snape and the others watched as the rocket titled Mary rose into the air at a dizzying pace before exploding into a myriad of colours. Yet instead of disappearing, the colours retreated back onto each other to form a figure. Snape could hear gasps as everyone stared up at the figure in the sky. ****

 **Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door** **  
** **Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door** **  
** **Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door** **  
** **Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door**

"Is that…" Alice whispered as Snape stared up at the girl waving at them while she flicked her long, blonde hair to the side. She was wearing her Hogwarts robes as she stared back at them with twinkling, blue eyes. 

"Yes, it is," Snape said as he reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze.

 **** **Mama, put my guns in the ground** **  
** **I can't shoot them anymore** **  
** **That long black cloud is comin' down** **  
** **I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door** **  
**

Snape looked towards his friends as they all stared up at the image of Mary. He could see James tearing up while leaning on Frank, Sirius and Peter screaming in delight, Remus and Dorcas hugging one another while Alice and Lily waved up to the sky. As Snape stared back at Mary, he could only smile as the eyes which looked lifeless and cold a year ago now sparkled a brilliant shade of blue as she smiled down upon them.

 **** **Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door** **  
** **Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door** **  
** **Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door** **  
** **Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door**

"Happy New Year!" Snape yelled as loud cheers and laughter broke out into the night.

…

.

.

 **1979**

He could hear the sound of waves pounding furiously on the cliffs behind him. Peering into the cave, Lord Voldemort took a moment to admire its grandeur as he stared into the darkness of the cavern with walls so high that the ceiling was barely visible to him. He smiled at the thought of his visits here as a child, particularly one where he brought Amy Benson and Dennis Bishop, two pathetic Muggles who would be forever traumatised by what he did to them. They were amongst the first to witness his power as he magicked them into the cave, a feat that was considered impossible even at his age for a wizard to accomplish.

Though he was born the previous day, Voldemort often acknowledged the first day of the year as the day he was born. It was not because he wanted to be younger but rather, Voldemort refused to share his birthday with the day his pathetic mother died while giving birth to him. Death was for the weak and his mother, who was as weak as he could possibly imagine, gave her life for his. But her sacrifice wasn't noble. Instead, it only fuelled his rage even further at the thought of his mother, a descendant of the grand Gaunt family, could ever lower herself by falling in love with a Muggle before succumbing meekly to a disease and a broken heart.

A wicked smile came upon his lips as Voldemort lifted the item in his hand. Under the faint rays of the moonlight, the golden locket shimmered brightly. Voldemort looked at the serpentine S that was on the locket, inlaid with glittering, green stones. It was easy for him to visualise it as a minuscule snake. Voldemort concentrated on the letter S, imagining a serpent, while the contents of the locket rattled like a trapped cockroach.

As Voldemort walked into the cave, he could not help himself as he released a wicked laugh. Tonight was the perfect night to begin and once he placed the locket inside, Voldemort would need someone or something to sacrifice themselves in order for him to test his defenses. As thoughts of house-elves ran through his mind, Voldemort continued to walk deeper and deeper inside the cave as the darkness of the cave swallowed him whole.

….

 **Well, that's it for now. I am glad to done with 1978 because, honestly, I am eager to reach 1979. You might have probably guessed by now that there's no way I can finish this in ten chapters. It might take a little longer but no worries, I am going to keep my original ending as well as end the story by the time we reached the earliest years of the 80s. See you soon and please review the story if you can. Thank you.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I have been extremely busy in the real world with my new job and my new partner! I do apologise for not being able to update as much as I did before but I will try to get out the chapters.**

 **Firstly, THANK YOU to everyone who read, favourited, followed and reviewed my story! I was surprised to see a rise in reviews a few days ago and it was all thanks to you guys who helped motivate me to finish this chapter. You see, I wrote this chapter quite a while back but I've been a little stuck on certain parts. This chapter is MASSIVE and so I had to break it down into two chapters. I will try to give you the second half as soon as I can but for now, you can whet your appetite on this.**

 **Special thanks to my reviewer who did the Honest Trailer review of my story! I am extremely flattered and yes, I do watch Honest Trailers, HISHE as well as CinemaSins. Ironically, HT published a video of FBATCOG not long after you posted your review. I am extremely flattered and thank you so much for all the reviews.**

 **This story is going to take a turn now that Snape and friends are no longer at Hogwarts. Just bear with me on this. Hope you enjoy it and please review if you can! Thank you!**

 **Disclaimer: I own not a single property of HP as all of it belongs to Robert Galbraith.**

 **The Importance of Being Snape**

" _I assuaged my conscience with empty words. It would all be for the greater good, and any harm done would be repaid a hundredfold in benefits for wizards"- Albus Dumbledore, King's Cross_

 **Chapter 8**

 **1979**

 _Baden- Wurttemberg, Germany_

In his unnaturally long life, Albus Dumbledore was a man of many regrets. As he walked down the cobbled paths of the town of Calw, Albus sighed at the thought of his life and how fondly he loved to travel. If not for his reputation for being one of the most powerful sorcerers of all time, not to mention being widely regarded as the greatest wizard of his generation, Albus would have given it all for a life of quiet solitude where he would have spent his days, travelling the world and learning about different cultures, both magical and Muggle. He smiled at the sight of the picturesque market square as he admired the eighteenth-century half-timbered houses. Visiting the Black Forest, a place well-known in the wizarding world as being one of the most magical places on Earth, was his top priority but first, Albus had to visit an old friend.

Though it was fast approaching sunset, Albus made no attempt to hurry as he took in the sights and sounds of the town. Walking towards the _Nikolauskapelle_ , a chapel of St Nicholas, Albus gave a smile as he saw the tall, grey-haired man standing before it as the man struggled with a suitcase. The man was in his early eighties and although had a seemingly frail appearance, Dumbledore knew him to be quite the vibrant and energetic soul he had always been. The man locked eyes with Dumbledore as he gave him a lopsided grin.

"Evening, Newt," Albus said as Newt Scamander nodded awkwardly at him.

"Dumbledore," Newt replied as Albus took a moment to study his old friend. The famed former magizoologist still had much life in him, as evident from his twinkling blue eyes although his hair, now mostly grey and white as compared to his red-brown roots gave a slight tug on Albus's heart as he recalled how youthful his former student had been. _Time comes for us all_ Albus thought as he and Newt shared a warm handshake.

"Albus?" Newt said as his eyes widened at the sight of Dumbledore's blackened hand. Dumbledore pulled his arm away, not wanting Newt to get a closer look at the damage caused to it by removing the ring. Voldemort's Horcrux had been powerful and if not for the timely intervention by Horace Slughorn, the curse would have probably been the end of him. As it stands, he still had time and Albus Dumbledore intend to make the most of it.

"A charm backfired. Nothing you need to concern yourself with." Albus chuckled as he noticed Newt's realisation of his lie. To his credit, Newt did not press on, instead motioning for Dumbledore to take a walk with him on a nearby bridge

"I don't suppose you're going to tell me what you needed the Basilisk venom for," Newt said as the two old men walked slowly towards the outskirts of town. "Took me quite a while to get that one. My contacts aren't as welcoming to me as they once were."

"I appreciate all that you have done for me, Newt," Dumbledore spoke as they stood on the bridge. Newt removed a gold coin from his coat and placed it on the ledge. "But if I were to tell you the reason, I would be pulling you into a conflict in which you have to choose sides once more."

Newt narrowed his eyes at Dumbledore before giving a shrug. "Paris was a lifetime for me. We're early." Newt said as he inspected the coin.

"Perhaps a spot of tea?" Albus said as Newt gave a chuckle as he looked up to the sky.

"Tell me something, Albus," Newt whispered as he turned his attention back to Dumbledore. "Why do you do it?"

"Do what?" Albus replied.

"Involve yourself in such matters." Newt sighed. "Don't get me wrong, Albus, the entire wizarding world will always be grateful for your efforts but don't you think dealing with one powerful dark wizard was enough? How is Tom your problem as well?"

"Tom was an oversight on my part. I should have paid him more attention back when he was in Hogwarts." Dumbledore replied softly as Newt shook his head.

"You were a little preoccupied during that period if I recall," Newt spoke.

"I met him again, Newt. In Nuremgard."

"How is he?" Newt spoke in a tone that was neither caring nor spiteful.

"Unchanged," Dumbledore replied as Newt gave a light scoff before staring at the coin once more.

"Seher should be calling us soon. When was the last time you saw him?" Newt asked.

"It's been ages," Dumbledore spoke as the last rays of sunlight started to dim. He turned to face Newt, smiling as the old wizard started to cough slightly against the cold winds that pierced through their coats. "Thank you for doing this, Newt."

"He was the one who wanted to meet you, Dumbledore. I'm just helping the two of you meet."

"Nonetheless, your assistance in this matter is only superseded by your friendship, old friend. I will always be eternally grateful to have met you, Newt Scamander. I only wish I hadn't burdened you with such misfortune as I did all those years ago." Albus replied sadly as Newt gave Dumbledore a concerned look.

"Are you okay, Albus?" Newt asked as Dumbledore replied nothing though Newt could see his former Headmaster arms had a slight tremble.

"It's okay, Dumbledore," Newt said as he gave Albus a smile. "I have always believed, and I still believe, that whatever good or bad fortune may come our way, we can always give it meaning and transform it into something of value."

"Siddhartha, Herman Hesse." Dumbledore chuckled as he recalled one of Calw's most famous Muggles in the German author.

"Very good." Newt laughed as the gold coin started to shake in front of the pair. Newt heaved a sigh as he turned to Dumbledore, who had a grim expression on his face.

"It's time."

…

Karina was positively livid.

At first, she had been polite in turning them down but as the three students insisted on meeting with her mother, Karina had threatened to call the police should they persist in talking to their mother. Karina Watson always prided herself in being able to maintain a calm demeanor but it hadn't been a good day for her. First, her soon-to-be-divorced husband bails out on taking care of their three-year-old son forcing her to take a day home from work. Despite her close relationship with her mother, Karina knew better than to leave little John with her. Her mother was having another one of her episodes again, constantly walking around the house, muttering inaudible words as she peered out the window over and over again. To top it all off, a group of students had knocked on their door, wanting to speak urgently with her mother about a geographical study which was a surprise, considering her mother's major had been in architecture. No doubt they were trying to pull a fast one on an old and frail woman, a thought that sickened Karina to her core.

"Who was that?" her mother asked as Karina shook her head dismissively. Her mother was seated at the dining table, trying to eat her soup as John played with his toys on the couch.

"Just a group of children pulling a prank."

"A prank, you say? What do you mean?"

"Nothing to bother yourself with," Karina said as she handed a spoon. "Youths today have really gone downhill."

"I'm sure they meant no harm." the old woman chuckled as she sipped her soup though Karina noticed her hand was trembling. "But what did they want?"

"Just wanted some knowledge about caves in the United Kingdom? Said they were doing some sort of study."

"Caves?" her mother's ears perked up as she narrowed her eyes on Karina who stared at her son on the couch. "Why on earth would they speak to me about caves?"

"Something about wanting to visit a particular cave that apparently, they believe, you may have visited when you were young. Said something about a school trip and something about a riddle though if you tell me the whole thing sounds like a ridd – "

The loud clanging of the spoon on the floor shocked Karina as she turned to her mother, whose pale white face and large, widening eyes gave her a start.

"Mother, what's wrong?!" Karina asked alarmingly as she grabbed her mother's hands which were now shaking badly.

"Call them back." Her mother whispered as she turned to face Karina. "Call them back now."

"I don't know where they went to. They might have gone down the street. Mother, what's wrong?!" Karina asked as her mother shook her head furiously.

"Call them back. Call them back! Call them back!" her mother shrieked as Karina released her grip on her mother's hands. Turning to see John staring back in shock, Karina ran out of the house and onto the street. She turned her head wildly, hoping to catch a glimpse of the trio. Not wanting to leave her mother and son alone, Karina made a beeline back into her house where she gave a yelp at the sight before her.

The three students were now seated at her dining table. The first was a handsome, raven-haired boy with glasses, the second a pale-skinned boy with slicked black hair and the third was a rather beautiful red-haired girl. All three appeared to look calm as Karina turned her sight to her mother who looked to be engaged in conversation with the trio. John, however, appeared to be nowhere in sight.

"How the hell did you get inside my house?!" Karina screamed as the girl and the pale-skinned boy flinched under her loud tone. "Where's John?"

"I've sent John upstairs, my dear." Her mother spoke in a calm voice, almost as if her breakdown a couple of minutes ago had never existed. Karina could only gape as her mother stood to her feet, motioning towards the stairs.

"Why don't you go upstairs and check on him, Karina? You can join us afterward." Her mother responded in the same gentle tone she used to speak to Karina when she was younger. Karina had no intentions on leaving her mother alone with three strangers but her motherly instincts were kicking in fast. Nodding her head, Karina dashed up the stairs as her mother turned her attention back to the trio. As she climbed up the stairs, Karina could hear her mother speaking to the three as two words caught her interest. Her mother's name was Amanda Watson, sometimes known as Amy for short but in the entire time Karina knew her, her mother hardly ever spoke of her maiden name, Benson. For a woman who prided herself on her privacy, Karina wondered what three strangers had to say about caves that would get Amy Benson so worked out about.

…

Albus Dumbledore sat on the unusually large toadstool as he watched the herd of centaurs conversing quietly with Newt a few feet away. It was quite unprecedented for Seher to call upon him during this time as Dumbledore stared at the green centaur, whose upper body resembled that of a young man with long, green hair. Despite his youthful appearance, Seher was at least a thousand years old; maybe older as Dumbledore recalled his last visit had Seher mentioning how he had met with famed Seer Cassandra Trelawney in their discussions about the Inner Eye.

Albus had always taken his views on Seers with a pinch of salt. Perhaps it was that Grindelwald himself had been a Seer, his prophecy of the Second Muggle World War becoming legend among the purebloods but prophecies, as Albus soon realised, were nothing more than visions of what _could_ happen rather than what would happen. The thought of a higher power controlling everything that occurred to him deprived Dumbledore of his control and free will, its illusion a thought that Albus had to admit, scared him more than it should. Despite this, Seher had been a good friend to Dumbledore and Albus's curiosity as to what Seher had to say to him had risen considerably over the past few days. Seher was arguably the most powerful Seer, creature or not, throughout the world with the centaur receiving not just one, but thousands of visions of what the future would hold. As the saying goes, the past may be concrete but the future holds a multitude of possibilities.

As Seher began to approach Dumbledore, the latter could not help but sympathise with the centaur. Dumbledore knew too well the burden of holding secrets and could not even begin to fathom how Seher could possibly handle the responsibility of knowing all that could happen. Seher's omniscience could have been seen as a curse but Dumbledore knew the centaur to deal with it by doing the simplest thing possible by just letting things be. Seher had spoken previously to Albus that he always, always ignored the visions, no matter how radiant or horrific it may be by simply watching them without trying to intervene. For as long as Dumbledore knew Seher, this was his philosophy. A philosophy of ignorance and isolationism.

Until now. Dumbledore waited with bated breath as the centaur approach.

"Albus," Seher spoke in a trance-like voice, similar to Muggle fortune-tellers who try to mystify and captivate their customers.

"Seher," Dumbledore spoke as he bowed his head. He knew about the centaur's disdain for contact, a reason why a handshake was not offered. Dumbledore stared at Seher who had a look of sympathy on his youthful face, his green expression contorting like one close to grief.

"I'm sorry, old friend," Seher replied as he nodded his head towards Dumbledore's arm. "I truly am."

Dumbledore heaved a sigh. He knew it was coming. Only Slughorn could possibly infer the truth and despite his knowledge of what was to come, Dumbledore felt a great deal of comfort having heard the words from Seher. He was tired. So very tired.

"I appreciate it, Seher," Dumbledore spoke as he gave the centaur a bittersweet smile. "But you didn't ask me to come here to speak to me about this. There's something else, isn't there?"

"I wish there was something else, Albus." Seher sighed as he kicked his hooves. "I have seen countless of possibilities but there is nothing else. Save one. And even then…" Seher trailed off as Albus contemplated his vague words.

"What I am about to tell you, you will not like. It will be painful to hear but it needs to be said." Seher replied. "For years, I have remained neutral, choosing not to intervene but alas, the depths of Hades are reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict."

Dumbledore had heard similar versions of the quote, said by many Muggles throughout the ages and yet, Seher's words had an alarmingly haunting effect on him as a slight chill swept down his spine.

"It concerns the Dark Lord," Seher spoke quietly as his eyes darted around the forest.

"What about Tom?" Dumbledore asked as he leaned in closer. Seher's green eyes stared back at Dumbledore who cowered a little from the centaur's penetrating stare.

"He wins, Albus. He always wins." Seher spoke. "I have seen countless visions and in all of them, Lord Voldemort reigns supreme. He is no ordinary Dark sorcerer, unlike Grindelwald or Ekrizdis or Morgana. His darkness will engulf the whole of Europe and soon the entire world. As you no doubt have known by now, Voldemort has achieved immortality. He would not be killed by anyone on this Earth right now, not even you."

The last statement troubled Dumbledore. Even with Tom's Horcruxes, Dumbledore always had a sense of pride in being better at magic against his former student. Seher seemed to notice this as he shook his head.

"You know by now, that you are weakened. Even at full strength, you would lose against him, Dumbledore. You have compassion and love, care for others. Voldemort has nothing. While this does not make him stronger, it makes him more dangerous as Voldemort does not care for anything and anyone. Even Grindelwald found love at one time. Not even his most loyal followers could possibly comprehend the depravity and darkness that resides in Voldemort's heart."

"So he wins?" Dumbledore replied as Seher's mouth began to twitch.

"Not always. Only one scenario remains. A scenario which has become tainted." Seher spat angrily before composing himself. "There will come a prophecy that will help you in defeating him."

"What do you mean by a prophecy that will come? Surely, you have seen it." Dumbledore replied.

Seher gave a mirthless laugh. "The prophecy is more than just mere words telling the future, Dumbledore. The person giving this prophecy has as much to offer as the prophecy itself. Now, Albus, what I am about to tell you is only, and I repeat, the only way for Lord Voldemort to be defeated. What you are about to hear will be painful but you must bear with me. After all, this is … for the greater good." Seher spoke as Dumbledore flinched at the words.

….

"Sev!"

The sound of her voice gave Severus Snape a start as he turned around to see the blue-eyed witch with brown curls approaching him. He could feel his heart beating wildly in his chest as Alice sat next to him on the bench. It was strange, seeing Alice in Muggle clothing although her tight blue jeans, as well as a well-fitted white tee-shirt, did bring about much too his imagination, more than he cared to admit.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be guarding the tent?" Snape said as Alice rolled her eyes. They had been spending the past few months hunting down possible places of Voldemort's Horcruxes, using Apparition to travel in certain cases. A new lead had emerged in the possibility of a cave that Voldemort had reportedly visited when he was younger during his orphanage days. While the orphanage no longer existed, James had managed to ascertain the identities and whereabouts of two Muggle children that Voldemort had brought to the cave. The first was Dennis Bishop, who was visited by Sirius, Frank, and Peter while he, Lily and James went to see Amy Benson, the second child who followed Voldemort to the cave. Alice, Remus, and Dorcas were left to take care of the tent which they all stayed in, now nicely situated within Epping Forest. The Muggle outfits were worn to allow them to blend in although Snape had firmly put his foot down when James offered him a cowboy hat.

"I would but Remus and Dorcas wanted some _alone time_ before they have to go to the Shrieking Shack tonight," Alice replied as she made air quote gestures with her hand. Snape gave a light chuckle. Tonight was the beginning of the full moon and it was agreed that Remus would have to apparate back to the Shrieking Shack in order to deal with his werewolf transformations. Dumbledore had kindly offered Remus a suitcase belonging to a Newt Scamander for him to remain inside but Remus had refused, fearing that even with the Wolfsbane Potion, he would always be prone to attack. Dorcas had volunteered to look after him during the three to four nights of his transformation. Yet despite the difficulties that his friend faced, Snape couldn't help but feel slightly jealous towards Remus.

"I'm sure they're doing research on how to locate the other Horcruxes," Snape whispered as Alice rolled her eyes again before nudging Severus playfully in the ribs.

"Sure, _research._ Anyways, how did it go with Amy Benson?" Alice asked as Snape gave a frown. The story that Amy had told the trio while in her home was truly disturbing and he had a great deal of respect for Amy not wanting her daughter Karina to know what really happened although dodging and hiding the truth from the latter in the dining room proved to be a challenge. As Snape recounted to Alice what Voldemort had done to Amy and Dennis in the cave, he could see the look of terror and disgust on her face.

"Merlin," Alice whispered as Snape nodded.

"And to think he was just nine at that time," Snape said as he shook his head. There was a time when such a statement would fascinate him, how such a young wizard could be capable of performing these feats of magic and yet now, all Snape could feel was sympathy for poor Amy Benson.

"At least we got the cave's location, I think," Alice said as she peered through the glass of the café. Snape turned to see James standing as he pointed at the map while the others gathered around, chatting as they ate and drank. He could see Lily giving him a strange look his way before averting her eyes back towards James.

"Thinking if they'll get back together?" Alice spoke, breaking Snape's train of thought. Snape turned his attention back to the brown-haired witch.

"Who knows?" Snape said as he shrugged his shoulders. _Yet another thing that's changed_ Snape thought. He could only imagine how insanely jealous the old Snape would be at the idea of James and Lily getting back together but now, although it bothered him slightly, it wasn't as bad as it once was. Particularly when his interest was right next to him, stroking her brown curls as she leaned back on her seat. Snape could see one or two Muggle men eying Alice from afar as he glared back at them.

"Maybe we should go back inside," Snape said as he stood to his feet. Alice gave a slight scoff.

"Please, don't tell me it's happening again."

"What's happening again?" Snape asked as Alice motioned her head back towards James and Lily. Snape's eyes widened as he shook his head.

"No, trust me, it's not that. I just want to go back in." Snape said as Alice stood in front of him.

"Sev, you know you can…"

"Trust me. I'm not interested in Lily." Snape said as Alice tilted her head to the side before standing to her feet. She stood right in front of Snape as Alice reached for his hand. Over the past three months, Snape had noticed just how close he and Alice had gotten. Awkward brushes of their hands, finding constant reasons to touch each other and random moments where Alice and Snape often finding them being paired together on separate DA missions to chase leads on Horcruxes. Snape counted each and every moment spent with Alice and as the days went by, Snape could feel himself being more enamoured with her by the second. _Perhaps it's time_ Snape thought as he gave Alice an awkward smile.

"What about roses then, lad?"

The surprising sound of an old lady's voice forced the pair to turn to the side where an old Muggle lady had been pushing a small cart full of flowers along the sidewalk. She had a kind face as she smiled at the pair

"I'm sorry?" Snape said as the old lady chuckled. Part of him was cursing the old lady for interrupting what seemed like a moment and yet another part was filled with relief, thankful for the distraction.

"Just wondering if perhaps you might want to purchase a flower or two for your lady over here. Never hurts to give a flower to someone special." the old lady said as Snape felt his cheeks starting to burn and the awkwardness returning. He looked to Alice for a response and found her blushing as well even though she seemed to be sporting a wide grin.

"Err…" Snape said as he gave an awkward laugh.

"I should go back inside. It was lovely to meet you." Alice said as she smiled at the old lady. Before entering the café, she turned to Snape. "Surprise me," Alice said with a grin before disappearing inside.

"She seems very sweet." The old lady replied as Snape, who had been bemused over Alice's reaction, turned to face her before giving a nervous smile. Reaching into his pockets, Snape pulled out some Muggle money. Yet as Snape began to hand over the money, he couldn't help but be intimidated by the red rose that the woman was holding towards him. To Snape, a red rose was the ultimate dedication of love and giving that to Alice would mean that the message would be quite clear.

 _So what's wrong? You love her, don't you? Just get the rose. It's time you move on, anyway._ The voice in his head spoke quite clearly.

"Are you all right?" the old lady asked as she gave Snape a concerned look. "Perhaps I misread the situation. Would you prefer a yellow rose? They symbolise friendship?"

 _Don't you dare!_ A voice in Snape's head called out, sounding strangely similar to Alice herself. _Don't do the whole "we're just friends" thing._

"I think I'm going to need something a little stronger than friendship," Sev replied as he scratched his head. The old lady smiled as she looked through her flowers before giving a tiny squeal.

"I know! Hyacinths!" the old lady replied as she handed over a spring-flowered bulb with long narrow leaves. The fragrant smell of the flower slightly overwhelmed Snape as he took it from her.

"You're just in luck. These came to bloom during this month." The old lady replied as she inspected the flower she gave Snape. "Wait, my eyesight isn't what it used to be. Is that hyacinth flower blue?"

"Looks blue," Snape said as he took the flower. "Why does it matter?"

"Well," the old lady replied as she accepted his money. "The blue hyacinth is used to represent sincerity or constancy of love. It means that your love or affection for the person is true and it symbolises loyalty and fidelity. Compared to the red rose which arguably describes a strong and passionate love for the other, the blue hyacinth is more tempered but does not depreciate the affection you feel. I think it's the perfect flower for you, especially if you haven't told her yet."

"That obvious?" Snape groaned before graciously at the old lady. Even with his Occlumency skills, Snape doubt he could prevent the Muggle lady from reading him. "Thank you," Snape said as he turned to walk back into the café only to stop before the front door.

"Excuse me," Snape called out as he turned back to the flower lady. "Why does it matter that it has to be blue?"

"Oh!" the old lady cried as she waved her hand dismissively. "It's nothing. I was just worried that it would be purple."

"What's wrong with purple?" Snape asked. "What does a purple hyacinth represent?"

"Sorrow and regret." the old lady answered as she offered him a bittersweet smile. "A purple hyacinth represents a need for forgiveness."

…..

"I'm sorry," Seher whispered.

"Sorry?" Dumbledore whispered as silence fell upon the Black Forest, its nature befitting of the moment. He could hardly believe his ears as Dumbledore tried hard to compose himself, only to let an emotion he tried to keep dormant swell up to the surface.

 _Anger._

"Do you realise what you have done?" Dumbledore whispered once more, this time his tone imitating a low growl. "Why, Seher?"

"For the greater good," Seher answered firmly. "This is the only way."

"Do not speak to me about those words!" Dumbledore snapped as he stood to his feet, his blue eyes no longer twinkling as he glared fiercely at the green centaur. "There have to be other ways! I can face Tom! Battle him!"

"And you will lose! Even with the destruction of the Horcruxes, you will lose!" Seher cried.

"Why didn't you bring this up to my attention earlier?!" Dumbledore roared as he revealed his blackened hand. Yet Dumbledore knew his anger was not fully directed at Seher. He had been foolish, oh so foolish, the idea that he could get his hands on the Second Hallow had overpowered any thoughts of rationality at that moment.

"Because this is the only way!" Seher replied, his voice roaring as well. "I could not risk you intervening for that would have led to another vision, to which once again, Lord Voldemort reigns supreme."

"They're just teenagers, regardless of what the Ministry thinks!" Dumbledore replied in anger. "We cannot put this on them."

"They are soldiers as well. Dumbledore's Army?" Seher reminded Dumbledore. "I have seen their search for Horcruxes as well as Voldemort's plans for the future. Do you think I would call you if I hadn't gone through every single possibility? Every possible action and their subsequent outcomes? Believe me, Dumbledore. This is the only way. The original plan has changed and as I spoke to you, my plan has a much better approach than the one that was intended."

"At the cost of lives." Dumbledore sighed, his anger giving in to pain.

"Every path will come at the cost of lives. We are at war, after all." Seher replied gently before giving Dumbledore a bittersweet smile. "Albus, this is the _only_ way we have. I assure you that my words and my actions do not come from arrogance or my ego. I am not omniscient. But this is the horse to back on, the only one that I know, and you know, will bring about the end of Voldemort. We have to keep this path going so that the vision can be fulfilled. The difference between leaders and followers is that leaders have to make the tough calls, the calls that followers themselves cannot make for they are too emotional to see what's right."

"Right?" Dumbledore cried. "How is doing this right? We are talking about destroying lives here."

"At the cost of victory. There is a difference between doing what is good and easy and doing what is right. Hence the term, the _greater_ good." Seher said as Dumbledore collapsed back on his toadstool.

 _You know he's right_ the voice in Dumbledore's head spoke as the old wizard pressed his fingers to his forehead. Dumbledore heaved a sigh. As much as he hated Seher's plan, Dumbledore had to admit that it was the way to go. In war, one has to make sacrifices. Most fictional war stories often choose to portray happy endings to the moral quandaries that it brings, hoping to save the reader from feeling too conflicted and yet, reality was far harsher. Like Seher said, eventually it would all work out. Eventually, Voldemort would be dead and the Death Eaters would fall. And all the sacrifices that were made in the war would not be in vain, but rather would be necessary, all in the name of the greater good.

"Do you recognise this person?" Seher replied, drawing Dumbledore away from his thoughts. Dumbledore turned to see a floating image of an unfamiliar, light-skinned, blond-haired man with a bowler hat and a black coat. He had kind brown eyes and a striking moustache under his nose. Dumbledore could see Seher's green eyes glowing, a sign that he was showing Dumbledore an image from his visions.

"I have no idea."

"That man is a Muggle by the name of Vincent Walpole." Seher replied as the image disappeared. "He is undoubtedly the most important Muggle in recent wizarding history."

"He is?" Dumbledore asked, looking confused. He had never heard of the man.

"Well, the story of Vincent goes like this," Seher said as he moved closer to Dumbledore. "Vincent was born in London in 1891, to two loving parents. Unfortunately, his father passed due to a fever when he was five and Vincent was raised by his mother as her only child. As the years went by, Vincent fell with the wrong crowd and at the age of sixteen had committed numerous crimes such as theft and vandalism. One day, his mother spoke to him, tired of Vincent's antics. Seeing his mother's tears fall, Vincent swore to change his ways. He became a good person, kind to others and contributed to his community. Vincent took an interest in medication, no doubt influenced by his father's death. Even during the first Muggle war, Vincent worked hard to become a doctor, helping people with their injuries and offering medical aid to anyone who required it with no costs."

"He sounds like a good person." Dumbledore smiled. "But I fail to see his importance."

Seher heaved a sigh. "All Vincent wanted to do good, you see. So one night, on New Year's Eve, Vincent was on a way to a party when he received word of a woman undergoing the process of giving birth at a London orphanage. Deciding to skip the party, Vincent made his way to the woman and helped her to give birth to a young infant boy but unfortunately, the woman did not survive the birth."

Dumbledore's eyes began to widen at the realisation as Seher nodded his head.

"That woman was Merope Riddle, formerly of Gaunt. And unknown to him at that time and to everyone around the world, Vincent Warpole had helped given birth to Lord Voldemort. And so you see the irony, for a man who wanted nothing more to bring good to the world, Vincent Walpole brought about the greatest evil ever known to us all.

"What was the point of that story?" Dumbledore asked as he shook his head.

"The point is simple," Seher replied in a grim voice as he stared at Dumbledore. "Given what you now know, would you have steered Vincent into a path of crime if it meant saving the world from Voldemort? Would you have prevented him from becoming a doctor? And what if that was truly the only way? Would you consider doing something bad in other to prevent something worse?"

"The greater good." Dumbledore sighed as Seher nodded his head. As Dumbledore turned his head upwards towards the night sky, he wondered what the DA were doing now and if they knew just how much depended on each and every one of them.

…..

Severus Snape was freezing as he entered the mouth of the cave. James had found the cave's location in Cornwall and the Snitch that Dumbledore gave them had led them to the mouth of the cave, confirming a Horcrux's presence. Apparition had been useless until James managed to apparate himself onto a rock out at sea. The group then swam to the cave's entrance with Snape wondering to himself how Voldemort himself had made it to the cave.

"Use the Heating Charms," Lily called out as the four of them stumbled onto the entrance. As Snape warmed himself, he stared at Lily who despite being dry from her charm, continuously stroked her long red hair. Their mission today had simply been one of reconnaissance, an idea of James to survey the magical obstacles that Voldemort would have placed. Snape had been chosen to go along with Sirius, James, and Lily. Alice, Frank, and Peter had remained at base camp while Remus and Dorcas had gone back to Hogsmeade, to prepare for Remus's werewolf transformations. Alice had volunteered her services to go but James had objected to it. Up until that point, only Lily and Peter remained as the only ones who hadn't consumed Felix Felicis recently and Lily was the better choice by far. Still, Snape winced as the quartet walked into the cave; he would have very much preferred Alice.

"Lily, you go ahead," James said as he watched the Snitch travel in front of them. "Anywhere you step should be safe. Felix would protect you."

"And here I thought you were a gentleman," Sirius remarked causing Snape and Lily to giggle while James made a rude gesture towards Sirius.

"Don't worry. I promise nothing bad will ever happe…OWW!" Lily cried out loud as her hand cut against the sharp edge of a rock. Snape moved towards her as he held her hand. A sizeable gash was present on her palm with blood dripping from its wound.

"Are you okay?" James asked as he and Sirius approached.

"Does it look like I'm okay?" Lily snapped as she winced under the pain. Snape reached into his pocket and pulled out a Dittany bottle.

"I don't understand," James said as Sirius gave him a puzzled look. "Felix would have protected you."

"Well, maybe the potion is defective," Snape whispered as he exchanged a look of fear with Lily. A defective Felix potion often meant misfortune to a great deal for the person who had taken it. James gave out a scoff.

"No, that's not it," James said as he faced the others. "If the potion was defective, we would have known about it by now."

"Well, at least we can do something about this wound," Snape said as he removed the cork from the Dittany bottle, only for Lily to pull her hand firmly away.

"Wait!" Lily said as she pointed towards the Golden Snitch which was no longer moving but rather flying wildly about at a portion of the cave wall.

"Why has it stopped?" Sirius asked as Lily moved closer to the wall.

"I can't explain it but…I think I need to put my hand here." Lily said as she reached out with her bloody hand towards the cave wall. Before any of the boys could yell out, Lily's blood found the rocky surface and as soon as it did, a blazing silver outline of an arch appeared as the blood-splattered rock that Lily touched disappeared from view.

"Bloody hell!" Sirius cried as James nodded. Snape cried out in excitement.

"Felix works! It seems like Voldemort hid the entrance behind a Blood Spell, an idea that an enemy has to physically weaken himself before entering. I'm kind of disappointed, actually."

"Why?" Lily asked as she dipped the Dittany on her wound, healing her cut instantly.

"It's a little crude, don't you think? I expected Voldemort to have better defences." Snape replied as James clapped his back.

"I'm sure he won't disappoint you," James replied grimly as the four entered into blackness ahead. The space behind them closed with the archway disappearing from sight. Snape turned his attention back to the cavern as the four lit up their wands. Snape and Lily let out a gasp as James and Sirius both stared blankly at what laid ahead.

They were standing on the edge of a great black lake, so vast that Snape could not make out the distant banks, in a cavern so high that the ceiling too was out of sight. A misty greenish light shone far way in what looked like the middle of the lake; it was reflected in the completely still water below. The greenish glow, the light from the Golden Snitch as well as the light from their wands were only things that broke the otherwise velvety blackness, though their rays did not penetrate as far as Snape would have expected. The darkness was somehow denser than normal darkness.

"James. Look at the Snitch." Sirius spoke, breaking the silence as the Snitch hovered on the edge of the lake, not wanting to fly towards the greenish glow in the middle. Dumbledore had taught James how to recall the Snitch without catching as James charmed the Snitch back into his pockets.

"Okay, so I'm guessing that whatever that green glow is, that's where the Horcrux is," James said.

"How do we get there?" Lily asked as she looked around. Snape turned his head from side to side. The lake seemed to encompass the entire cavern with no end in sight either way.

"Maybe there's a way around the edge?" Snape said as Sirius let out a groan of frustration.

"There doesn't seem to be any path that brings us to the centre, though." Sirius cried as he removed his wand. "I'm going to try something. Accio Horcrux!"

Before anyone could stop him, a loud explosion was heard as something very large and pale erupted from the dark water some twenty feet away; before Snape could see what it was, it had vanished again with a crashing splash that made great, deep ripples on the mirrored surface. All four of them had leapt backwards in shock as Snape felt the thunderous beating of his heart.

"You prat!" Lily cried as they composed themselves. "Voldemort wouldn't have made it so easy!"

"At least we know that the lake's not empty!" Sirius retorted. "What the hell was that?!"

"I haven't the faintest," Snape said. "But whatever it was, it moved fast. Not to mention, it looked dangerous."

"Well, what do we now?!" Sirius cried out in frustration as the group exchanged looks. No one knew quite what to say, each of them sneaking glances towards the black lake, wondering what kind of creatures lurked within its depths.

"Let's walk," James spoke, breaking the silence and motioned towards the edge of the lake where they stood. "Maybe we can find something that will tell us more."

The four walked in a line, Snape taking the lead, Lily close behind with Sirius and James bringing the rear. Snape was careful not to step too close to the lake, fearing that something would jump out to grab him. As they walked along the edge, Snape stared at the greenish glow, wondering what in the world had Voldemort created. Deep in his thoughts, Snape gave out a yelp as he felt a small hand grip him suddenly on his left shoulder.

"Sorry!" Lily cried as she held on to Snape while Sirius and James nearly crashed into the others. "Felix is telling me to stop."

"Here?!" Sirius replied as he stared around. "There's nothing here, Lily!"

"Perhaps nothing we can see," Snape said as he raised his hands wildly about. He felt his fingers brush against something cold even though there was nothing in the air to touch. Moving his fingers about, Snape gave a cry of excitement as his hand gripped against something hard.

"There's something here!"

James, Lily, and Sirius moved closer towards Snape's hand, careful as to not fall into the lake. James removed his wand as he tapped Snape's hand gently.

"What in the world –" James spoke before Snape let out a gasp. A thick coppery green chain had appeared out of thin air, extending from the depths of the water into Snape's clenched hand. James tapped the chain, which began to slide through Snape's fist like a snake, coiling itself on the ground with a clinking sound that echoed noisily off the rocky walls, pulling something from the depths. The entire group gasped as the ghostly prow of a tiny boat, broke the surface, glowing as green as the chain, and floated, with barely a ripple, toward the place on the bank where Snape stood.

"So that's what we take to go to the centre of the lake?" Sirius spoke as he narrowed his eyes at the small boat which hit the bank with a gentle bump. "Looks a little small, doesn't it?"

"Enough to fit Voldemort himself perhaps," James said as Snape moved towards the boat. "Be careful, Sev."

Snape stepped gingerly onto the boat, careful as to not cause too many ripples even though, strangely enough, there didn't seem to be much. He stood on the boat, praying wildly that it wouldn't capsize upon realising that its occupant was not the Dark Lord himself.

"It seems safe," Snape said as James nodded.

"Looks like it might only fit two people. I'll go." James said as Lily raised her hand.

"It should be me, I still have Felix with me," Lily replied as she moved towards the boat. Snape sat down to the side, hoping to allow Lily to have more space. The moment he did that, however, the boat started to move.

"Sev, wait!" Lily called out frantically as Snape looked back at the trio in terror.

"SEV!" James and Sirius called out, with the former attempting to jump into the lake, only to be pulled back by Sirius.

"I'm not doing anything! It's okay! I'm okay!" Snape called out. He cursed wildly under his breath. Of course, using the boat had nothing to do with weight but rather, Lord Voldemort, would have been concerned about the amount of magical power. As the trio called out to him, Snape could only wave his hands at the image of the trio started to disappear into the darkness.

…..

Regulus closed the door to his room as he apparated back to Grimmauld's Place. It was strange, having been within close proximity to the Dark Lord only moments before and yet, he couldn't help his emotions from driving him up the wall.

It was a difficult decision, one of the hardest he had to make and yet, Regulus knew the importance of keeping up appearances. Voldemort's request had been quite unusual and he recalled seeing even Bellatrix and Lucius exchanging looks of puzzlement as the Dark Lord gathered the Death Eaters at Malfoy Manor. Voldemort had asked for something, an unusual request, given his despise and hatred for such beings. Regulus had not volunteered to offer but a slight nudge from Lucius had forced Regulus to raise his hand. Bellatrix had given him a look of pride as the rest of the Death Eaters could only glare at him in envy.

" _Why didn't you volunteer?" Regulus had asked Lucius as soon as they had been dismissed. He was careful not to let his tone sound spiteful as the pair entered into Lucius's library._

" _Well, I would have but you see, I still need mine, despite its incompetence. Narcissa has needs." Lucius replied as Regulus recalled the pregnancy of his cousin. "You should feel honoured, Regulus. To have aided the Dark Lord. What an honour it must be for you and for your – "_

" _I do feel the honour, believe me," Regulus spoke as he dug his hands into his pockets. "I'm just wondering why couldn't our master have asked for my help? Surely I'm more capable of doing any tasks that he requires of me."_

 _Lucius placed a comforting hand on Regulus's shoulder. "We must never question Him. Besides, I think that the mission the Dark Lord has isn't one in which one can just go back from. You know his disdain for such creatures. I fear there is only one outcome for Kreacher." Lucius spoke as Regulus froze at the mention of his words._

"Forgive me, Kreacher." Regulus thought as he tried to ponder what in the world was Lord Voldemort up to. Not wanting to waste time, Regulus reached into his pockets and pulled out the Galleon. He had to tell Snape. Perhaps Severus and his friends could figure out what the Dark Lord possibly needed with a house elf.

…..

"Do you think he's alright?" Lily cried out as she peered into the blackness. Sirius had sat down on a rock as he fiddled with his wand while James paced back and forth on the edge.

"I'm sure he's okay," James replied, though his tone did not disguise his concern. "Besides, the boat wouldn't have allowed all of us to go. I'm pretty sure it only seats one."

"Let's just hope he doesn't do anything stupid," Sirius said.

"Snape can handle anything," James replied firmly. "Besides, it's only a reconnaissance mission. All Snape has to do is report if he sees the Horcrux and the protection charms that guard it."

"He wouldn't be able to destroy it anyways." Sirius spoke as he patted his bag. "The sword is with me."

"He'll be fine," James said as he gave Sirius a glare before motioning his head towards Lily, who looked extremely anxious. "Sev can take care of himself." As Sirius moved towards Lily to comfort her, James kicked his feet against the rocky surface of the edge. He felt something vibrating in his pockets. Reaching inside, James pulled a bright gold Galleon in his hand, one that he knew had been fitted with a Protean Charm. Snape had handed his Galleon to James before he went into the boat. James narrowed his eyes as tiny words started to form on the Galleon. Reading the message over and over again, James gave a frown before jumping up to his feet.

"He's coming!"

…..

 **A/N: That's it for now. I do apologise if this chapter has a lot of Dumbledore but he is crucial to the plot.**

 **Not much on Snape's love life in this chapter but not to worry, the next part is where everything will change. Stay tuned!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hi, sorry for the late post but the truth is, I finished Chapter 9 ages ago but I couldn't bear to put it up without Chapter 10 which is my most exhaustive chapter yet. I will post Chapter 10 tomorrow once I'm done making changes.**

 **Also, I want to do a shout-out to two very important people. The first is the reviewer named Vani whom I've noticed reviews my chapters regularly and within a day of its posting! I value all my reviewers but I thought I show some appreciation for you. Thank you for your support.**

 **Secondly, I've want to do a shout-out to my mate TheTrueSpartan whose Ron-centric story, Fate, is fast becoming one of the best fanfics out there! I'm a Ron fan myself though he isn't my ultimate favourite character but I appreciate any fanfics with a good plot and wonderful storytelling! So please, if you like good fics, give it a read!**

 **Other than that, please enjoy this chapter and review it! I appreciate all your feedback!**

 **Disclaimer: You already know who it belongs to.**

 **The Importance of Being Snape**

 _"So it's now or never, isn't it?"_ _\- Ron Weasley, The Battle of Hogwarts_

 **Chapter 9**

 **1976**

Severus grumbled as he continued to polish yet another crystal ball. Having participated in an altercation with a Slytherin student had landed him detention although Snape couldn't particularly blame Professor McGonagall for being furious with him. Lately, Snape had been on edge, a reason he tried to pass on for the OWLs being so close and with the Slytherins continuing to taunt and mock the Gryffindor students each chance they get, Snape had finally snapped, unleashing a particularly unusual hex on his antagonist leaving the latter with a swollen bum that wouldn't go down for a week. McGonagall was on the verge of delivering her punishment when Professor Cayce had stepped in, asking for Snape's assistance in helping him prepare and clean out the Divination classroom.

An hour into his punishment, Snape finally began to feel a small sense of guilt creeping in. Truth be told, Snape was unaffected with the student's insults, having dealt with such petty name-calling all his life. Rather, his anger came from a different source, one which haunted him for the past few nights and one in which he could do nothing to resolve the issue.

 _Lily_

Seeing her laugh at another of James's jokes was like a knife piercing through his heart. He had tried to put up a brave front, particularly after the ball, but it was one thing to want to move on, another to actually do it. At such times, Snape often wished he weren't so close to Lily or James. It would make things easier, having to drift away and not watch the lovebirds flock to each other. Snape slammed the crystal ball into its holder, resulting in a tiny crack on its surface. Eliciting a groan, Snape stood and walked over to Professor Cayce, crystal ball in hand.

"It's quite alright, Severus," Cayce spoke as Snape approached the professor with the Daily Prophet shielding his face. "Throw it away. The bottle of Dittany is in the red drawer."

"What?" Snape spoke, puzzled at the professor's words. Receiving no answer, Snape gave a shrug as he walked over to the bin, flinging the ball inside. As the ball fell into the bin's bottom, a tiny nail flicked out and cut Snape's hand. Crying out in pain, Snape whirled around to see a cabinet with a red drawer. Pulling it open, Snape's eyes widened at the sight of the bottle before uncorking it to treat his wound.

"Severus."

Snape turned to see the professor calling him over. Professor Edgar Cayce had a receding hairline, his strands of grey hair neatly combed to the side. Brown eyes and a strong jaw, Professor Cayce gave Snape a warm smile as Severus approached him. Unlike the other teachers in the school, Cayce preferred to wear Muggle suits with his favourite zebra-striped tie and cotton white shirt. Cayce examined Snape's hand before giving Severus a warm smile.

"Looks like the Dittany has done its work," Cayce spoke in his warm, American accent. Cayce had travelled across the Atlantic for a job; one he spoke was out of favour to Dumbledore for the Headmaster's services in the past. Snape gave Cayce a curious look. While indeed Cayce was their Divination professor, he was quite reserved for a Seer. Cayce had mentioned himself to be in possession of the Inner Eye which gave him his powers of Divination although Cayce hardly ever used it, instead focusing his class to work on the theoretical aspect of the subject.

"Why don't we call it a day?" Cayce said as he motioned for Snape to take a seat. "Let me write this note to Minerva so that you may pass it to her. I hope I didn't push you too far."

"No sir," Snape said as he rubbed his hands. "I cause trouble and I should be punished for it."

"Punish," Cayce said as he shook his head. "Such an awful term, I must say. Considering you've already been punishing yourself enough seeing how love has torn you apart."

Snape gave a start as he stared back at the professor. "I'm sorry, Sir?"

Cayce gave a laugh as his brown eyes twinkled in the candlelight. "Forgive me. It's not polite to pry or infer about my students' personal lives. I assure you that I wasn't looking into your future. I was merely making a deduction based on your expression. I've seen that look before. I know what it feels to be troubled by love issues at your age."

"Oh…" Snape spoke, unsure of what to say. "Thank you, Sir?"

Cayce made a dismissive motion with his hand before handing Snape over the note. "Just make sure you don't let it get to you too much. Whoever this girl may be, she isn't worth throwing away your future for. Especially if she might not be the one."

"With all due respect, Sir," Snape replied as he stood to his feet. "This girl is worth everything to me."

"Many before you have thought the same, Severus," Cayce spoke gently as he gave Snape a sympathetic smile. "But all of them are wrong. I'm not saying this girl isn't special, I'm just saying that she is but in a different way. I'm sure you will encounter many such girls along the way but unfortunately, they're not the one, Severus. They are just a means to an end."

"What end?" Snape asked as Cayce stared at him, his facial expressions contorted into a frown. Snape felt a chill tingling down his spine as Cayce's eyes began to tear slightly before the old Professor gave his shoulders a slump. "Professor?" Snape called out once more as Professor Cayce turned to him, a sigh emanating from his lips.

"Forgive me, Sev. I'm just rambling." Professor Cayce sighed. "The Inner Eye has caused me much stress over the years. I'm glad to be finally retiring once your batch has graduated."

"Retiring?" Snape cried. Although he had much disdain for the subject of Divination, Snape was sorry to see the likable professor go.

"Yes." Cayce smiled as he started to gather his books. "I'm quite old; Sev and I've lived through a great deal of suffering over the years. My life in America had been quite troubling, you see and Dumbledore proposed a solution to get me to Hogwarts, one which I took quite eagerly. But it is time for me to rest and rest I shall."

"Well, it's good to spend time with your family." Snape offered, though his heart became heavy at the thought of his mother. Snape was surprised, however, to see a similar expression of grief on his professor's face.

"Oh, how I wish I could. But I can't. They are happier now." Cayce mumbled as Snape stood awkwardly on his feet. Wishing for the moment to end, Snape decided to change the subject.

"Sir, if I may ask since you could see, did you ever tried to see your future wife when she was younger?" Snape asked as Cayce gave his student a smile, grateful for the distraction.

"I did not but even if I could see, I wouldn't want to," Cayce replied.

"But why not, Sir? Wouldn't it be easier?" Snape asked as Cayce gave a laugh.

"I supposed it would," Cayce answered. "But you misunderstand the purpose of having an Inner Eye, Sev. By seeing who I would end up with, I would want to intervene and thereby, alter the course of how I meet and how she would fall in love with me. The future, unlike the path, is an infinite amount of possibilities with varying paths leading to a multitude of outcomes. This is precisely why Seers do not intervene and change the path. One must simply be patient and wait for the future to happen."

"I wish I could see the future." Snape sighed as his thoughts turn to Lily and James once more. Cayce stared at his student before clearing his throat, pulling Snape's attention back to the professor.

"Unlike the past, the future can be altered. If one could see into it, one may do things to shift it towards his favour. But being a Seer is a curse, not a gift, Sev. Trust me on this."

"But why not?" Snape insisted as he folded his arms. "If I could see into the future and alter it before it happens, I control the outcome. I can control it to my favour."

Cayce gave Snape a gentle smile. "How about a story? This was told to me by a fellow Seer on his deathbed." Cayce said as Snape nodded his head before taking a seat on a nearby chair. Cayce stared at Snape before clearing his throat.

"A long time ago, there was a farmer living in a town in central Europe. One day, as he was tending to his crops, he met a man named Mal who wanted to seek shelter in his home for Mal was being chased by bandits. After giving Mal shelter, Mal revealed himself to be a man of extraordinary power. Mal wanted to grant a wish for the farmer's help and bestow upon him a gift. The farmer decided on the gift of the Inner Eye, wishing to be able to look into the future and so, Mal granted his wish. Mal warned the farmer to only use the Inner Eye for small financial gains, such as deciding on the best crops to grow or the winning numbers to a lottery. Mal warned the farmer that no matter what, he must not alter or intervene in anything else.

As the years went by, the farmer became rich as wealth came his way. He soon met a beautiful girl whom he married and a year later, his wife gave birth to a son. As the world had progressed exponentially since his younger days, the farmer was worried as to the future of his son and so, the farmer decided to ignore Mal's warning and look into his son's future. A horrible fate awaited his son as the farmer froze in terror, staring at the man his son would become. A mass murderer in their village."

"Horrified by the future, the farmer then decided to ignore Mal's warnings. He took his son and wife and fled to the States where they had a happy life for years to come. One day, upon nearing his death, I paid a visit to the farmer at his request. The farmer had been stricken with guilt and confess to me everything he knew. The next day, the farmer committed suicide."

"Suicide?!" Snape gasped as Cayce nodded his head. "But why? The farmer saved his son's life. Why feel guilty?"

Cayce trembled as he spoke, his face contorted with the expression of a man burdened with the truth.

"The farmer revealed to me the truth. He had seen into the legacy of his son should his son have become a serial killer in their village. His son would have taken the lives of four young girls, one of whom was named Klara Polzl. Does that name mean anything to you?"

Snape shook his head.

"Perhaps this one will. Klara was hired as a household servant by the man she would one day marry and would give birth to six children, with only two reaching adulthood. That man that she married was Alois Hitler."

Snape's eyes widened at the realisation as Cayce nodded his head. "The farmer then revealed to me that should he have known earlier what was to come, he would have done the exact same thing. He would save his son's legacy and pay with it the lives of six million Muggles, probably more."

"But it wasn't his fault, he couldn't have possibly known." Snape cried out as Cayce shook his head.

"You misunderstand my reason for telling you this story, Sev," Cayce replied as he led Snape to the door. "I told you this story to show you that seeing into your future is as much a curse as it is a gift, maybe even more so. There are forces in our world that control and determine our fates and it is not to us to decide what should or should not happen. Your role in this story has already been written and one day, even after you're long gone, it may make sense as to why you are and you did what you did. We are all part of life's chess game and we should learn to accept it, even the painful things such as love and rejection. There's a reason why it has to be this way."

"But what if my life is just pain, with no shred of happiness? Or what if I become a monster? It's not fair for one to suffer just for others to get their happy ending." Snape replied.

"Life has always been unfair, Sev," Cayce exclaimed as he offered a comforting hand on Snape's shoulder. "And perhaps a happy and wonderful life is an unworthy sacrifice for one to make for others to experience as such. I supposed that was what was running through the head of the farmer when he realised what he had done. If he could go back, I too wonder if he would have the strength to do what was necessary."

"Ironic," Snape replied dryly as he opened the door. "His son had to become a villain in order to save millions."

"True." Cayce sighed. Snape could see his professor's face wrestling with the idea of saying something more but instead, Professor Cayce merely smiled at him.

"Sev, you may not understand this until you're older but I've been around this world a lot longer than you so I will say this. There are forces in our world that we cannot see or experience but the nature of these forces, be it malevolent or benevolent, is not what we need to decide. What we need to realise is that life is a series of events, one leading up to another in order for the future to be realised. Where there is evil, there is good and where there is good, evil will still emerge. Perhaps it is not up to us to decide if we are good or evil, if we are heroes or monsters but nonetheless remember that if life chooses to reward you, there is a reason and if not, there is a reason for that as well. Just promise me that no matter what, you will never let life get you down and you will do what's right, regardless of the consequences."

Snape stared back at his professor, unsure of what to say. The entire thing had sounded like gibberish to him but nevertheless, Snape offered Professor Cayce a smile.

"Thank you, Professor, for everything," Snape replied. "And for the story."

Cayce gave a light chuckle. "Imagine being the farmer and having to make such a terrible choice. But then again, it does bring light to an old saying."

"Which is?" Snape asked as Cayce began to close the door, a sympathetic smile etched on his face.

"Not all heroes save the day."

…

 **1979**

"And Seher said that was no other way?" Newt asked as he and Dumbledore retreated from the Black Forest.

"There are but they all end in Tom's victory. Apparently, what was supposed to happen was diverted and now we have set the path straight back once more." Dumbledore sighed as Newt shook his head.

"But… the lives…" Newt cried as Dumbledore stopped walking, his heart burdened with grief. Newt watched as his former Headmaster's shoulders slumped before the old wizard collapsed to the ground, bursting into tears. In all the years Newt knew Dumbledore, he had never seen the latter behave in such a manner and for a moment; Newt Scamander was taken aback before composing himself. Dropping to his knees, Newt trembled as he pulled Dumbledore into a hug. It was a strange sight, seeing two old men huddled together in the outskirts of the forest.

"Dumbledore…" Newt whispered as he stared at the tear-stricken face of the greatest wizard in the world. Newt watched as the tears dripped onto the ground. After a long period of quiet crying and sighing, Dumbledore nodded his head before Newt slowly helped him to his feet.

"Thank you, Newt," Dumbledore spoke as Newt gave his friend a look of concern.

"It doesn't have to be that way," Newt said as Dumbledore shook his head. "You're Albus Dumbledore. We can figure out another path. And as Seher said, he isn't omniscient. There has to be another way."

"There isn't." Dumbledore sighed as he pulled back his sleeves, revealing his blackened hand. "The path has already begun. All we can do now is to follow its course."

"The Dumbledore I know would have sought out another way," Newt replied firmly. "The Dumbledore I know would not give up."

"I am not giving up." Dumbledore sighed as he placed a hand on Newt's shoulder. "I am merely accepting what needs to be done. We must look at the bigger picture, Newt."

"I am looking at the bigger picture, Albus," Newt replied. "Believe me; I understand better than anyone what it's like to be forced into a corner. But we can't just sacrifice innocent lives for the sake of a victory, Dumbledore. We need to come up with something different."

"At what cost?" Dumbledore spoke, his voice resigned. "Seher has seen thousands, maybe even millions, of ways this could end and this; this is the only way he knows how it can work to our favour. You know him, Newt. You know his abilities. We cannot afford to let our hearts make this choice, only our head."

"This is your legacy, Albus." Newt pleaded as Dumbledore sighed. "No matter what good you did, no matter what you've done, this is what they will remember you for if they ever find out the truth."

"What would you have me do?" Dumbledore replied grimly as he glowered at his friend. "Would you have me ignore this path and continue as I had originally intended? That path leads to death. All of them do. I need you to understand, old friend; this is not what I wanted. But what needs to be done. It is the _only_ way." Dumbledore spoke, emphasizing the word as Newt stared at him before turning around. Dumbledore watched as the old magizoologist stood in front of a silver birch tree.

"I understand," Newt whispered though his back was turned to Dumbledore. "It's just…difficult to accept."

"Denial does give one relief, despite its nature," Dumbledore replied as he stood next to his friend. Out of the corner of his eye, Dumbledore could see a tear sliding down Newt's face.

"What would you do now?" Newt asked as he and Dumbledore stared up into the night sky, the stars glittering as they twinkle about for miles.

"I'm going to take a day to myself. Maybe spend a day at Hogsmeade before going to London." Dumbledore spoke as Newt nodded his head. As he stared at the stars, Dumbledore could almost make out the outline of a young girl smiling down at him from the heavens above.

"It was nice to see you, Albus," Newt whispered as he patted Dumbledore on his back. Dumbledore gave Newt a smile as he reached into his pockets, pulling out a gold coin.

"You too, Newt. You too."

…

"I see something!" Lily called out as Sirius and James looked towards where she was pointing. Despite the darkness, James could make out something slowly approaching the edge of the lake as Sirius lit his wand. James gripped his tighter as he watched the object coming closer. Even though he hoped it was Snape that was returning, Arthur and Moody had taught him to always remain vigilant of his surroundings. Just as he was about to warn Lily, he heard a familiar yell in the distance.

"Guys, it's me!" cried the voice of Snape as James, Sirius, and Lily could finally see the boat approaching the edge of the lake. A dishevelled and haggard Snape appeared in their sights as James and Sirius helped him off the boat. As soon as Snape's feet touched the ground, the boat started to sink with a groan as James and Sirius exchanged looks. James snuck a glance towards Lily who was giving Snape a hug, her eyes nearly in tears.

It was this look that James fixated on, his heart dropping slightly as he watched the two best friends embrace each other. If James was being honest, a part of him had always hoped to make amends with Lily and renew their relationship once more. Despite what he told his Marauders, James always knew that the happiest moments of his life had been with Lily. It seemed like almost like a fleeting dream, as James recalled the moments they spend on his broom, flying through the air as Lily snuck him the occasional kiss between their conversations. But unfortunately, life had other plans for them. Their relationship, while on the honeymoon period, had been perfect but it had been all downhill from there, the fights, the arguments, the constant berating of each other's opinions and choices. As difficult as it was to admit, James realised the truth about relationships. Relationships weren't just about romance or love; they were about work as well. Any fool could fall in love and be in love but if one never chooses to put in any effort, a relationship can go sour fast.

 _As mine did_ James thought as he stared at Snape. James felt a tinge of jealousy as he watched Lily shower Snape with the amount of affection he wished to have himself but time had given James something he had lacked in his younger days. Maturity. The feeling of jealousy was soon washed away by the feeling of guilt. James knew of Sev's crush on Lily and yet, despite Snape's own feelings, his adopted brother had chosen to put Lily and his feelings above James. _Besides_ James thought as he gave Snape a hug after Lily and Sirius had their turn _Snape was still reeling over the death of Mary. Not to mention, he seemed to have feelings for…_

"So what happened?!" Sirius spoke, dragging James away from his thoughts.

"Well," Snape panted as he placed his hands on his knees. "When I reached the green island, it was barren except for a basin in the centre of the island. Inside, I could see the Horcrux! It's the locket!"

"So, it's there!" James cried excitedly as he rubbed his hands. "Sirius, give me the sword! I will go and destroy it right – "

"Hold on!" Snape spoke as he shook his head. "There's a problem. When I noticed the locket, I tried to reach for it but I was unable to get to it. It was like there was some kind of invisible force preventing me from even moving closer towards the basin. I did every spell that I could think of. Nothing worked."

"What kind of basin was this?" Lily asked as Snape shrugged his shoulders.

"Just a normal stone basin but the locket was submerged in this emerald green, glowing liquid. I kept trying to reach for it but it was no good."

"Maybe I should give it a go," Lily replied. "I still have the Felix on me."

"No!" James exclaimed. "It's too dangerous. You can't."

"I agree with James," Sirius said as Lily narrowed her eyes as the two boys.

"If you're insinuating that the reason I can't do this is because –"

"James is right, Lily," Snape said, cutting Lily off as James gave her a triumphant look. "And no, James, you can't go either. None of us can. Remember, this is a reconnaissance mission."

"But the locket is right there!" Sirius cried. "Surely, we're not going to turn our backs now."

"How do we propose we destroy it, then?" Severus snapped. "We don't even know if Gryffindor's sword can pierce through the protective enchantments! It would be foolish to even try! Let's not forget that there is _something_ in the lake that will no doubt attack us as soon as we make such a move and having one person on that island is as good as killing ourselves."

James, Lily, and Sirius all exchanged looks before nodding to Snape's remarks. James cleared his throat as he handed Snape an object.

"You're right. Besides, we might have a solution on the way." James said as Snape took the Galleon from him before reaching into his pocket and removing another Galleon. The one in his pocket had been his communication with Regulus was blank for now and the one James handed to him was the one all members of the DA had on them at times. Snape stared at the message on the charm.

"Dumbledore's at our campsite," James said as Snape read the message. "If anyone can figure out what this all is, he can."

"He'll probably join us to destroy the damn thing," Sirius added as all four members breathed a sigh of relief. It was lost on no one that the presence of Dumbledore sooth any fears they had about facing Voldemort's Horcrux. As Snape pocket the Galleon back into his cloak, Sirius looked around before scratching his head.

"Say, does anyone know how to get out?"

…..

 _Interesting_ Dumbledore thought as he heard James recount the story of their adventure in the cave. The DA had far exceeded his expectations, having overcome the cave's defensive measures and coming with an arm's length of the Horcrux. The pool of water in the basin intrigued Dumbledore as thoughts of the Dark Arts raced through his mind. He was sure of what Tom had placed, though his theory could only be proven once he had reached the island. Inside the tent, Dumbledore stared at the group who were listening intently to James's story. He stared at the faces of his young wizards and witches with a heavy heart. James stood before him, now more of a man than a young boy. Behind him, both Peter and Sirius listened intently, their friendship with James giving them courage and strength. He could see Frank leaning at the corner, his mind trying to process the story while Lily sat next to her potions, her mastery in the subject having given them a crucial advantage in their quest to defeat Voldemort. Dorcas and Remus were not present, having stayed at the Shrieking Shack to nurse Remus's wounds from his transformation. Last but not least, he could see Severus and Alice whispering to each other, his heart crumbling slowly as he looked into the grey eyes of the young, black-haired wizard.

 _Oh, Severus,_ Dumbledore thought _please forgive me_. The words of Seher after showing Dumbledore the future and his plans to manipulate it had burned deep within Dumbledore's skull.

 _It is the only way_. Dumbledore heaved an internal sigh before dragging himself away from his thoughts.

"Good job, all of you!" Dumbledore said as he could see a look of pride flash across James's face. "You all have done wonderfully. James, hand me the sword. I will see to the locket's destruction myself."

James handed Dumbledore the sword as Albus gave the sword a look of admiration before shrinking its size and placing it inside his cloak.

"Now," Dumbledore spoke as he motioned for the group to get closer. "We will destroy the Horcrux in the evening, not a second wasted. I wish to go now but I will first need to do some research on this liquid that Severus has experienced. Now, I will need a couple of you to accompany me on my trip to destroy this cursed object and I would like it if Severus and Lily could join me."

"Why can't the rest of us come along?" Alice exclaimed, her words met with murmurs and exclamations of approval from the rest. Dumbledore raised his hand before smiling at the group.

"I appreciate your enthusiasm in the matter, Miss Macmillan, but I would rather much like to limit the number of casualties should things turn bad, not that it will. I will need Severus to show me the boat and to help me familiarise with my surroundings and Miss Evans still has Felix Felicis in her system which would give us all the luck we need. For the rest of you, I assure you that there will be more fights to come and each and every one of your roles will be crucial in our success. For that, I would encourage you to take the day off. Perhaps you might want to go back to Hogwarts and join up with Mr. Lupin and Miss Meadows."

"Kind of seems like you're leaving us out of the game," Sirius grumbled as Dumbledore gave a light chuckle.

"Speaking of a game, I do believe that there is one happening today at Hogwarts which demands my presence within the next two hours. A Quidditch game between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, if I'm not mistaken."

The mention of Quidditch immediately changed the mood around the tent as the boys, excluding Severus, started to talk excited amongst themselves while Alice and Lily roll their eyes. Dumbledore watched as Snape locked eyes with his former Headmaster before staring back at his blackened hand, to which Dumbledore hid in his pockets once more.

"Can't wait to see Hufflepuff destroy Gryffindor!" Frank exclaimed as Peter jeered silently.

"Please, Longbottom, even without James, Gryffindor will no doubt kick Hufflepuff's arse!" Sirius taunted.

"Loser buys drinks at Three Broomsticks!" James added.

"Is Quidditch all you guys can think of?!"Lily exclaimed as Alice cried her approval. "We have a Horcrux to destroy!"

"I see that all of you are excited," Dumbledore said as the chatter soon died. "However, James, you will follow me to my office while the rest of you can go meet up with your friends. I agree that we should keep our wits about us, so thank you, Miss Evans, for your words, but some relaxation has been long overdue. So, regardless of the score, why don't all of you go to Madam Rosmerta's after the game and have a drink on me. You can put it on my tab."

"Really?!" Peter exclaimed with glee as James gave a groan.

"Must I follow to your office?" Dumbledore gave another chuckle before nodding his head.

"I'm afraid so, James. There are things that we need to discuss. I suggest you all pack up now and let's head back to Hogwarts."

…..

"I thought you said we were going to your office!" James cried angrily as he dodged another spell thrown at him by Alastor Moody. Once they reached Hogwarts grounds, the DA had met up with Remus and Dorcas before heading towards the pitch. James, however, had followed Dumbledore towards the castle, only for the great wizard to take a different turn and bring him towards the other side of the Black Lake, far away from the castle's view. Once they reached their destination, James was surprised to see Alastor Moody waiting for them.

"Focus, boy!" Moody cried as James threw a Stunning Charm towards the wizard who easily deflected it with his Shield Charm. "You're not focusing!"

"Well, I bloody didn't think I was going to duel Alastor Moody, didn't I?!" James snapped in anger as he tried to evade another one of Moody's charms, only to trip over a twig and fall over. "Screw this! What happened to the relaxation I was promised, eh old man?!"

"You insolent little.." Moody cried in anger before Dumbledore raised his hand. Albus had been watching James closely, keeping his distance from the duelling pair. _Perhaps it was time I tried a different approach_ Dumbledore thought as he motioned for James to pick himself up.

"James, the reason you're here and not your friends is because I needed you to prepare yourself for the mission ahead. You recall how easily the Death Eaters came to your village. I need you to be better at duelling."

"Why not Peter?! Sirius?! Sev?!" James retorted. "I'm easily the best duellist in my group! Why are you pushing me so hard?"

"Because you are their leader, James!" Dumbledore replied, his tone raised. "You don't need to be better than them, you need to be better than your opponents whom I assure you, are amongst some of the best duellers I know. And unlike you, they go for the kill all the time. Dolohov could single-handedly take on three Aurors at once. Do you remember Fabian and Gideon Prewitt? How skilled they were?"

"Of course." James sighed as he thought guiltily of the Prewitt twins who heroically sacrificed their lives by taking on as many Death Eaters as they possibly could. "But I need time to practice. Time to get better."

"Why do you think I'm here?!" Moody growled as he glared at James. "You think I don't have better things to do than to babysit some punk who thinks he's the best?"

"Alastor," Dumbledore spoke as Moody grew silent. Dumbledore placed a hand on the young boy's shoulder. "James, you're a good wizard but you've yet to master the ability to handle opponents that are far better than you. You have a tendency to take on opponents, regardless of strategy or any form of tempered measure. You hardly even used your strengths. I noticed you've conjured a Shield Charm more often than you dodge Moody's spells. Why is that?"

"Because that's what Arthur taught me," James replied earnestly. "Besides, my Shield Charm held up against Moody's spells."

"But it tired you, didn't it? All Alastor has to do is keep hitting you with spells until you make a mistake, like tripping over the twig." Dumbledore replied gently. "You used an offensive approach like that and a far greater wizard will soon defeat you without breaking a sweat. Use your strength, James. What are your strengths?"

"I'm…err… younger?" James said as Moody gave a grunt. Dumbledore, on the other hand, looked pleased. "Exactly! You have youth on your side and you are an amazing Seeker. So use it! Dodge those curses and spells and soon, you will be able to surprise your opponent."

"Nonsense!" Moody cried as he shook his head before glaring fiercely at James. "This boy couldn't surprise me even if my memory was obliviated!"

"Moody, I'm sure James here could surprise you if he truly wanted to. James is a master at surprising people, particularly on the Quidditch pitch where he would – "

"Expelliarmus!"

"Fool!" Moody cried as he raised his wand. "Your spell didn't even touch me."

"I didn't direct it at you!" James cried as Dumbledore looked to his hand before gasping. He had been thinking of a way to do this, one in which he might get caught off guard but this hadn't been what he expected.

 _But it worked, Albus! It worked!_

Dumbledore and Moody stared at the bespectacled, raven-haired boy whose raised hand held up Dumbledore's wand while a triumphant look came across James's face.

"Guess I can surprise you, after all," James said happily as he handed Dumbledore's wand to him.

 _You have no idea._ Dumbledore sighed internally as he accepted the wand. A part of him was yelling deep inside to say something more to James. Yet as Dumbledore clapped the young wizard on the back, he could feel his heart breaking once more. Despite all that he had done in his life, if there was one thing that eluded Dumbledore, it was his dream of having a family. Dumbledore never told anyone, nor even his closest friends, and could hardly admit it to himself but he had often yearned for a family. Duty to the wizarding community as well as the wars had taken quite the toll on Dumbledore and that horrifying night in his younger days had prevented him from ever realising this dream and yet, as he stared into the hazel eyes of his young prodigy, Dumbledore was reminded of his forsaken dream. James was like a son to him in many ways and Dumbledore wanted to tell more. Instead, the old wizard decided to give James a smile. There was too much at stake and he couldn't let his emotions get in the way of the greater good.

"So, can I go back to my friends?" James asked hopefully as Moody gave another grunt.

"Perhaps when Alastor decides that you are ready," Dumbledore spoke before placing his hand on James's shoulder. "James, always remember this. You are a good leader and one day, you will be a great one. But a leader's ability to lead comes not from his own strengths or weaknesses but on his relationship and duties to his followers. As powerful as you may be, a good leader knows the importance of doing what is right over what is easy and must never, not even in the darkest of times, forget his duty and responsibility to the light. Show me that you can become the man I always believed you will be, James. You have already made me proud. Do that for yourself now."

"I will," James whispered as he stared curiously at Dumbledore. From his Headmaster's sad expression, James wondered if there was more that Dumbledore wanted to tell him . Instead, Dumbledore gave him a smile before walking over to Moody.

"Remember your promise to me, old friend," Dumbledore whispered as Moody nodded his head. Dumbledore gave Moody a bittersweet smile. "Thank you for all your help. I could have never done it without you."

"Alastor, I…" Moody said as Dumbledore was surprised to see a pained look in the wizard's eyes. Nodding his head, Dumbledore gave the wizard a smile as he and Moody exchanged a handshake. Some things need not be said.

"Good luck, James," Dumbledore said as he walked away from the pair. After several paces, Dumbledore turned around to look at the pair. He could see James avoiding Moody's spells though the taunting and grumbling that came with it was no longer heard. A tear rolled down on Dumbledore's face as he turned to face Hogwarts in the distance, the castle shining brightly underneath the afternoon sun, the majesty of his home beckoning him to come forward.

 _Such a lovely day_ Dumbledore thought as he made his way towards the pitch.

…..

"So this is where you ran off to." Alice chuckled as Severus turned around to see the witch approaching him. Snape gave a smile before chucking one of the bloody pieces of meat towards the Thestral. The Thestral sniffed the meat for a moment before gnawing at it with its sharp teeth.

"Got it from the kitchens," Snape replied as he handed another piece of meat for Alice to throw. Alice gave him a look of disgust before shaking her head. Snape gave a laugh as he stood up next to Alice.

"Go on, give it a go," Snape said as Alice shook her head once more.

"I don't want to!" Alice cried. "I don't mind those things but these animals severely creep me out, Severus."

"Wimp," Snape said as Alice playfully nudged him.

"So why aren't you at the game?" Alice said as Snape shrugged his shoulders.

"Don't really find it that all appealing. I guess I only went to the previous games because James was playing. Now that we've all graduated, it just doesn't seem that all great." Snape said as Alice nodded her head.

"Imagine having to be one of the Professors and being forced to watch the game. It would drive me crazy." Alice replied.

"Is that why you aren't at the game?" Snape asked as Alice shook her head before grinning at him and handing him a letter. Snape gave her a puzzled look before accepting the letter and reading it. His eyes widened as he turned to face Alice.

"Her brother's going to be a father!" Snape said as Alice nodded her head in delight. Snape had met Aunt Penelope Granger, Alice's nanny, back during the wedding as well as her brother, both of whom were well-mannered and nice people. Snape smiled at how happy Alice was that her nanny was going to be an actual aunt. It was one of the things he adored about Alice, how the happiness of others made her happy as well.

"So they're thinking of a name for their child," Alice said as she took back the letter. "If it's a boy they were thinking of calling it Damien and if it's a girl, well, there are a few up in the air."

"Damien? Really?" Snape said as Alice nodded.

"You should hear the name if it's a girl. They're thinking of calling her Hermione."

"Hermione? Hermione Granger?" Snape said as he made a gagging voice.

"Talk about a mouthful, am I right?" Alice cried. "She sounds either like some princess or some bossy know-it-all."

"Whatever happens to simple names? Like Rose or Emma?" Snape added.

"Or Susan. Or Mary." Alice replied before placing her hand onto her lips. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean."

"It's okay," Snape said as he stared at the Thestrals. "Mary Granger sounds like a great name."

"It sure is," Alice replied awkwardly. "Of course, Aunt Penelope shared concerns about the idea that her brother's daughter might be a witch. Which is all well and good, because Aunt Penelope is more than willing to help her niece adjust, but you have to consider that her girl would be…"

"A Muggleborn." Snape sighed as he nodded his head. The thought of a Muggleborn being born into the war scared Snape a little. He wondered for a moment, if it was best, that young Hermione Granger be taken away from magic, for her own safety.

"Won't matter," Alice said as she read Snape's thoughts. "If Voldemort wins, he's coming for everyone, wizard or Muggle, Pureblood or Muggleborn. We're all victims to him."

"Which is another reason why I can't wait for the locket to be destroyed," Snape replied firmly. "I'll be glad when this is all over. At the rate we're going, all we need to do is destroy the cup and the diary and as long as Voldemort doesn't make another Horcrux, we have a shot at ending the war."

"You really think we stand a chance of winning?" Alice asked. "Even if we do, wouldn't the Death Eaters just revolt?"

Snape shook his head. "Most of the Death eater potentials in the Slytherin house are cunning but they lack guts. If we kill their king, most of them will just scramble to grab favour with the Ministry and assure their own safety. It's like chess, Alice. Checkmate the king and we win."

"And who's our king?"

"Dumbledore, of course!" Snape replied as his thoughts went to his former Headmaster. The hand didn't seem to be getting any better but neither did it seem to be deteriorating. If it was any other wizard, Snape would have been greatly concerned but this was Dumbledore he was thinking of. The most powerful wizard since Merlin himself. If anyone could handle it, Dumbledore could. With that thought, Snape assured himself of Dumbledore's safety and all thoughts of his possible death were pushed to the back of his mind. _We need him alive. Because if he dies, Merlin help us!_ Snape thought as Alice cautiously approached the Thestral.

"You know Thestrals are actually quite gentle," Snape said as Alice gave him a strange look. "It's true. Despite their sinister appearance, Thestrals only attack when they're starving for food or when you mistreat them unlike some of the other creatures in the Forbidden Forest."

"You sound like Hagrid," Alice said as she stared at the winged beast. Snape could see Alice shuddering as she gazed upon the skeletal body and reptilian features of the bat-like horse. Their pupil-less white eyes added to their eerie nature as Snape recalled how wizards often considered Thestrals to be omens of misfortune, aggression and even evil due to them being visible only to those who had witnessed death. Snape found the thought to be unfair. It wasn't the Thestral's fault that it looked like that.

 _You're not a monster_ Snape thought angrily as he recalled his discussion with Professor Cayce a few years ago. His sympathy for the creature fuelled his courage as Snape walked closer to the creature, reaching out his hand.

"Sev, be careful!" Alice whispered as Snape shook his head. The Thestral had backed away slowly, its mouth foaming as its sharp teeth glistened in the sunlight. Snape could feel Alice watching him with a mixture of awe and anxiety as Snape made his way slowly to the creature.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Snape whispered as the Thestral huffed loudly at him before inching its nose closer to Snape's hand. Snape stopped moving, allowing the Thestral to approach him cautiously, its nose sniffing the remnants of blood that were on Snape's hand from the meat. Snape could feel its hot breath as the Thestral inched its nose underneath its palm before allowing Snape to stroke its head before pushing Snape's hand forward onto its forelock.

"Merlin!" Alice whispered excitedly as Snape released a long and quiet breath that he hadn't even realised he was holding. Snape motioned for Alice to come forward. Alice approached the creature with trepidation as Snape placed his hand on top of Alice's trembling fingers. With her hand outstretched, Snape brought Alice's hand close to the creature's mane, gently stroking its hair.

"This is so surreal," Alice whispered as Snape smiled at her. The creature's skin felt cold upon his touch, a feeling Snape attributed to that of a dead corpse. Yet despite this, Snape felt a sense of contentment as he and Alice continued to stroke the creature who seemed to be warming up to the pair.

"I need to confess something, Sev," Alice said as she turned to face him once more. Once again, Snape noted that they were merely inches apart, her blue eyes piercing directly at him.

"What?"

"I always thought…that these creatures were strange."

"There are no strange creatures, only blinkered people."

"Did you come up with that all by yourself?" Alice asked amusedly.

"No." Snape laughed. "Read it in a book somewhere. I guess I always had somewhat of a thing with these creatures?"

"Because of Mary?" Alice whispered as Snape shook his head.

"No. When I first laid eyes on them, I hated the sight of them. Seeing them reminded me of my mother's death. But now, when I look at them, I realise that the Thestral didn't decide to be what it was. It didn't ask for this monstrous appearance. And yet, despite so many people thinking that they're these wicked beasts, all I see is a bunch of carefree animals who don't care about how they look or what they represent."

"That's because they're creatures, Sev." Alice giggled. "But you're right. Just because one looks like a monster, it doesn't mean one has to be one."

"Exactly."

"Is that what you think of yourself?" Alice said as Snape gave her a puzzled look. "That you're a monster?"

Snape heaved a sigh. "I don't even know what I am. All I know is that whatever choices I make, I will always try to do the right thing."

"I know who you are," Alice whispered as she inched closer to him. Snape could smell the scent of her apple shampoo as he swallowed a gulp.

"Who am I?"

"You're…" Alice whispered as her lips inched closer. Just as Snape's eyes began to widen at what Alice was about to do, the Thestral snorted loudly, causing the pair to leap away from each other. As Alice laughed at the Thestral's antics, Snape glared at the creature. _Perhaps I'm wrong! Maybe you are an omen of MISFORTUNE!_ Snape thought bitterly.

"Hey, Sev," Alice said as she stroked the mane of the creature while smirking at him. "You're a Gryffindor, right?"

"Yeah?!"

"I dare you to get on its back," Alice said as Snape stared blankly at her before looking at the creature. Touching the creature was one thing but getting on his back? Was she out of her mind?! Yet as Snape stared back at Alice who continued to grin at him while she played with her brown locks, Snape felt a rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins. With a smile that grew wider by the second, Snape threw aside all logic and reason as he gently soothed the creature before climbing on its back.

"Woah, easy!" Snape said as the creature stirred its wings before raising its hooves up in the air. Alice gave a cry of worry as Snape held on to the creature's neck for dear life. After a few seconds of gently patting its mane, the Thestral stopped moving before nuzzling its head against the palm of his hand.

"You did it!" Alice cried excitedly as the Thestral started to strut in front of Alice. Not wanting to let the creature get all the attention, Snape straightened his back as he gave Alice his best smug impression.

"Guess I just have a knack for this." Snape mocked as Alice rolled her eyes.

"Don't let it go to your head." Alice retorted with a grin as Snape folded his arms. "You were scared for a moment, admit it."

"Please, Severus Snape is not afraid of…WOAH!" Snape cried as the Thestral started to stretch its wings. Alice and Snape turned to the other Thestrals who had also opened their wings before one by one, each Thestral began to flap its wings before flying up into the air.

"Sev, get off!" Alice pleaded as Snape stared at his Thestral who despite its outstretched wings, didn't seem to want to make a move. An interesting thought came to him as Snape turned to Alice with a grin on his face.

"Alice, I dare you to get on the Thestral."

"Why in Merlin's name would I do that?!"

"Because we're going to go for a fly."

Alice's mouth dropped as Snape chuckled at the sight of her widening blue eyes.

"Are you insane?!"

"Hey, are you a Gryffindor or not?"

"I am but I had brains, Sev! You don't even have a harness on."

"I hold its neck."

"And what do I hold on to?"

"You could put your arms around me," Snape said as his face turned slightly red. He could see Alice's ears turning pink as her mouth formed a small grin.

"This is dangerous," Alice replied though Snape could see that Alice was very much intrigued by his request.

"Alice, we fight Death Eaters, hunt pieces of Voldemort's soul and are on a suicide mission to defeat the darkest wizard of all time. And you think this is dangerous?!"

"I don't know," Alice said as she bit her lip, the expression on her face making Snape's heart leap many times over. Smiling at her, Snape held out his hand as Alice stared at it expectantly.

"Do you trust me?"

…..

"I'M NEVER TRUSTING YOU AGAIN, SEVERUS SNAPE!" Alice yelled as the Thestral flew through the air with such speed that Snape clung on to its neck for dear life. The wind was roaring past them as Snape could barely open his eyes such was the speed of the creature. Behind him, Snape could feel his stomach churning as Alice gripped him tighter while screaming out a slew of curses.

"I THINK THIS MAY HAVE BEEN A BAD IDEA!" Snape yelled as Alice growled behind him.

"OH, YOU THINK, _DO YOU?!_

"I'M GOING TO TRY TO GET IT TO BRING US DOWN!" Snape yelled back. "HEEL! STOP! SLOW DOWN, BOY!"

"HOW DO YOU KNOW IT'S A BOY?!"

"ARE WE REALLY GOING TO DISCUSS ITS GENDER?! WHY DON'T YOU LOOK DOWN AND SEE IF YOU CAN FIND A FOOT LONG PENIS BETWEEN ITS LEGS?!"

"OH SHUT UP! YOU'RE THE ONE WHO ASKED ME TO GET ON THIS FLYING DEATHTRAP!" Alice screamed as she buried her face at the back of Snape's head, causing his skin to go all tingly once more.

"WELL, YOU'RE NOT HELPING, ARE YOU?!" Snape yelled back. "THESTRAL, PLEASE, PLEASE STOP FLYING SO FAST."

"TRY GIVING IT A NAME!"

"WHAT?!" Snape cried out, before deciding that he hadn't anything more to lose. Stroking the mane of the creature with his chin, Snape cried out words.

"CHARLIE, PETER, THOMAS!"

"IT MUST HAVE LIKE SOME SORT OF NAME YOU WOULD GIVE TO THIS CREATURE!"

"WHAT?!" Snape yelled back in frustration. "YOU MEAN LIKE FLUFFY? OR FANGS? OR POLLY?!"

The mention of the last name caused the creature to slow its wings as it started to drift through the air. Snape and Alice heaved a sigh of relief as they composed themselves. As Snape started to thank Merlin, he could hear Alice giggling behind him.

"That's its name? Polly?"

The mention of its name caused Polly to whinny in approval as Snape and Alice laughed out loud. Snape took a deep breath of the fresh mountain air and tried to move his mind away from the thought that Alice's breasts were practically pressing on his back. Snape took a moment to survey the sights, his mind reeling from the majesty of their surroundings.

"Sure beats flying on a broom. Or a magic carpet." Snape as Alice nodded in approval.

Polly was flying them across the Great Lake, its vas, ominous depths staring back towards the pair. In the distance, Snape could see the mountains towering in the distance while its snow-covered tops glistened beautifully under the bright, blazing sun in the sky. Towards the end of the lake, Snape could see two tiny specks on the ground, as one speck appeared to be casting spells towards the other. Upon a closer look, Snape could make out James yelling something at the older wizard who appeared to be throwing curses at him. Alarmed, Snape wanted to take a closer look, only for Alice to place her hand on his shoulder.

"It's Moody!" Alice whispered excitedly as Snape realised that indeed, Alastor Moody was throwing curses at James to block.

"Should we help him?" Snape whispered as Alice shook her head.

"It looks like Moody is training him. We better not interrupt." Alice said as Snape agreed before veering Polly away from the pair.

"Why do you think Moody's training James?"

"Who knows?! Hey! I think I see the Quidditch pitch!" Alice cried excitedly as she pointed in the distance. "Quick, get Polly over there."

"They're still playing the game," Snape replied as Polly drew closer towards the boisterous and loud atmosphere of the pitch, with the players becoming visible as they whizzed about their brooms. "We shouldn't interrupt them."

"But I want to catch the Golden Snitch." Alice pouted as Snape laughed before loud screams were heard. Snape and Alice turned to see some of the spectators pointing towards them although, from the height and distance, Snape doubted that anyone could see the pair. In a moment's panic, Snape pulled Polly higher up as they disappeared amongst the clouds.

"That was lucky!" Snape cried though his comment was met in silence. Turning his head, he could see Alice gaping at the surrounding area around them. As Snape turned around to look, he could understand why Alice was in awe. The clouds were everywhere, like fluffy white mountains towering all around them. The background of the crimson sky and the streaks of sunlight piercing throughout the clouds gave the entire place a surreal feeling. As Snape and Alice flew amongst the clouds, Snape could only gape at the large towers of clouds all around them while making out shapes of people staring curiously at them, as if they hadn't seen a human before. It was almost like flying through some lost, mythical city in the clouds as Snape and Alice admired the majesty of the entire place.

"It's like Heaven," Alice whispered as Snape took in their sublime surroundings. "Almost as if…"

"What?" Snape whispered as he cranked his neck once more to look at her. He could see a tear streaking down her cheek. "What's wrong?" Snape cried in alarm as Alice gave a light laugh before shaking her head.

"It's silly. I keep thinking that perhaps…this is where Mary went to." Snape felt a lump in his throat as he nodded his head. He could feel a tear forming underneath his eyes as well.

"It's not silly at all," Snape said as Alice gripped him tighter. "This is where we sent the firework. Hopefully, Mary got the message."

The pair remained silent as Polly lingered around the clouds once more before descending down. As the mist around the clouds cleared his vision, Snape could see the Thestral floating around the turrets and towers of Hogwarts castle. Snape could only smile as he admired the tenth century stone structure, a stronghold of magic in Great Britain but more importantly, his first real home. He hadn't told anyone this but should he survive the war, Snape often imagined himself returning back to Hogwarts, hopefully as a professor.

"Sev," Alice called out as Polly floated around the castle. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"What do you want to do once the war is over?"

For a moment, Snape wondered if Alice had used Legilimency on him. Before he could answer, however, Snape could hear Alice heaved a sigh as she nuzzled her chin against the back of his neck.

"I want to travel."

"You told me that once before," Snape whispered as Alice let out a soft laugh.

"I know but I really mean it, Sev. When this war is over, all I want to do before I settle down on my career and my life is just to travel. You know, all around the world. I want to go to Madrid, to Paris, to Munich, to Florence, to Istanbul. I want to get out of Europe and visit Asia, you know, China, Sri Lanka, Thailand. Then, after I'm done with Asia, I want to explore Africa before heading over towards North and South America."

"What about Australia?" Snape asked as Alice gave it a thought.

"I do have a fear of snakes but you know what? I want to give it a go. Sure, why not Australia."

"And Antarctica?"

"I have a fear of penguins," Alice said as Snape gave a laugh before feeling a light hit on his head.

"What was that for?!"

"For making fun of me!" Alice cried indignantly as Snape shook his head. "You're riding a Thestral and yet you're afraid of penguins. Consider me confused."

"Well, Polly is nice," Alice said as she patted the Thestral who let out another whinny. Releasing her grip off Snape's waist momentarily, Alice took in a deep breath as Polly slowed her speed.

"I wish I could stay like this forever." Alice cried out loud as Snape laughed as Polly flew across the Astronomy Tower. "Nothing can bring me down!" Alice yelled as she raised her hands in the air. "Absolutely nothing!"

BOOM!

The loud clap of thunder forced Alice to throw her arms around Snape once more as Snape gave a cry of pain from his ribs being almost crushed.

"You and your big mouth." Snape groaned in pain as Polly flew towards the trees surrounding Hagrid's Hut.

….

What started out as a drizzle had quickly become a downpour as the heavy rain pelted onto the pair. Soaked to their skin, the piercing cold wind did them no favours as Snape helped Alice off Polly. The pair watched as Polly gave a final whinny before retreating deep into the forest under the shelter of its thick foliage. Alice gave a cry as Snape turned around to see her pointing towards Hagrid's Hut.

"Quick, let's go in!" Alice yelled above the howling wind. Snape wanted to protest that they had no permission to enter Hagrid's home but the pouring rain and the cold winds overwhelmed his resolve. Seeing no other alternative, Snape nodded as he and Alice raced towards Hagrid's door. Alice tried to push it open but the jiggle of the lock told them it was locked. Snape brandished his wand as he aimed an Unlocking Charm on the door as the pair stumbled into the warm house, their cloaks soaking wet from the rain.

"Shut that door!" Alice commanded sharply as Snape closed the door behind them. He could see puddles of water forming on the floor. Pointing his wand towards his dripping wet clothes, Snape uttered a spell which as soon as it was cast, dried his clothes and returned his body to its natural warmth.

"Quick, do me!" Alice called out as Snape raised an eyebrow. Alice rolled her eyes in response.

"Oh stop that, you randy git!"

Snape gave a light chuckle as he cast a similar spell on Alice, who sighed in relief at having dry and warm clothes once more as Snape looked around the hut. The place had a cosy demeanour to it, with a small kitchen and table in a corner. A glance to his right found an empty dish bowl with the name FANGS written on it. Alarmed, Snape pointed to it as Alice shook her head.

"It's alright. I saw Hagrid bringing Fangs to the game." Alice replied as Snape heaved a sigh of relief. His eyes turned towards the fireplace, where pieces of broken wood were neatly stacked beside it.

"I'll start the fire. You can help clean the puddles." Snape said as Alice laid down on the massive bed in front of the fireplace.

"His mattress is so hard. Not to mention, kind of..sticky…you don't think…ewww!" Alice said as she cringed in disgust.

"Stop horsing around." Snape laughed as he tended to the fire. Alice let out an exasperated grunt as she started to clean the puddles of water on the floor.

"Hey, take a look at Hagrid's things." Alice cried as Snape turned to where she was pointing. He could see all kinds of stuff in the corner of the room, from empty animal cages to dusty old books and even what looked like an old gramophone with records stacked beside it.

"Don't touch his things, Alice," Snape replied as he poked the embers of the burning wood. Alice, who was in the midst of holding up a vinyl record, merely made a face before joining Snape in front of the fire.

"Spoilsport," Alice muttered as Snape gave her a grin. They were both leaning against the foot of the bed, their shoulders bumping against each other as Snape felt Alice leaning in. His peripheral vision caught the side of Alice's white shirt who despite the dryness of her clothes still gave him a sight of her breast heaving up and down from her laboured breaths. All sorts of thoughts were running through Snape's mind, driving him crazy as he tried with all his might to fight off those lustful thoughts in his mind.

"Do you think it's hard?" Alice cried, nearly causing Snape to leap from the floor.

"What?!"

"Look!" Alice said as she pointed to the direction of Hagrid's toilet. It appeared to be of a normal size for an ordinary wizard but Snape knew with Hagrid's half-giant appearance, that the massive frame of his would probably find it difficult to go to the bathroom.

"Maybe he just points it out and aims?" Snape said as Alice smacked him on his shoulder.

"That's so gross, Sev!"

"You're the one who pointed it out!"

Alice and Snape stared at each other for a moment before bursting out in laughter. As Alice laughed, Snape couldn't help but feel something inside him rising. A sense of happiness he thought he once lost. Staring at Alice's brown hair, which was all smooth due to the rain, as well as her beautiful blue eyes and gorgeous smile, Snape couldn't help but think of how far his and Alice's relationship had come. Alice was the one who convinced him to let Lily go. Alice was the one who comforted him about his pain of losing Lily to James. Alice was the one who encouraged him to date Mary. Throughout the years since he knew her, Alice had always been his first real friend, one he never had to impress or give his affection to. While Lily and Mary were both the sources of a romantic notion, Alice was the one, if Snape was being honest, who made him feel the happiest and most like himself.

Alice Macmillan was his best friend. As that thought struck him, Snape recalled the words of Professor Cayce once more.

" _I'm sure you will encounter many such girls along the way but unfortunately they're not the one, Severus. They are just a means to an end."_

"Severus?" Alice whispered as Snape realised that she had stopped laughing and was now looking intently at him.

"Yes?" Snape whispered back.

Alice gave a sigh before smiling at him. "When this war is over, and everything goes back to the way it was, do you think…that maybe…"

"Maybe?" Snape whispered as he stared at Alice who was blushing furiously while fiddling about her fingers.

"Maybe…" Alice whispered. "Youwanttogowithme?"

"What?"

"You want to go with me? On my world trip?"

"You mean travel the world?"

"Yes."

"Together?"

"Yes."

"Just us?"

"Yes."

Snape had to bite his lip to prevent himself from screaming with joy. Instead, he composed himself in his most Snape-like manner before giving Alice a smile.

"I love to," Snape said as Alice beamed at him. He could see Alice leaning in towards him once more, as Snape held his breath. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Alice's hand reaching for his as their fingers brushed against each other. If there ever was a time for him to do this, it was right now. The warm fireplace added to the atmosphere as all sounds faded from his hearing. He could see Alice's lips trembling as she went forth, the moment finally happening as Snape leaned in closer…

 _BOOM!_

A loud clap of thunder shattered Snape's eardrums as the pair jumped up in shock. As soon as the shock waved over, Snape let out a slew of curses in his head as he watched with disappointment as Alice had shifted herself further away from him.

 _Quick! Say something!_

 _It's too late! The mood is gone._

 _The mood is not gone, you git! There's a warm fire, you both are alone in the hut with no one around, there's a bed!_

 _I'm not going to go there!_

 _Fine but you better say something or else this awkward moment is just going to happen over and over again! Man up, you idiot!_

Growling internally in anger, Snape pushed aside the voices inside his head as he stared around the room, looking for an icebreaker. Spying the gramophone in the corner, Snape let out a yelp which alarmed Alice before walking over towards the device.

"Can't believe Hagrid has this!" Snape cried awkwardly as Alice gave him a bemused stare. Shifting through the records, Snape let out another growl of frustration as the records were all songs from wizarding bands he had never heard of. He had been hoping from some music from Bob Dylan or Elton John, two of Mary's favourite music icons and ones he had heard Mary sing before.

"Damn!" Snape sighed as he placed the records back before sitting next to Alice.

"What's wrong?" Alice asked.

"I don't recognise any of those singers," Snape grumbled. "Was hoping for some Elton or Bob."

"Ahhh…" Alice said as she nodded her head. "I forgot. Your knowledge of music is severely limited, Sev."

"Don't remind me." Snape sighed as Alice flashed him a grin before poking him in the chest.

"What's your favourite Elton John song?" Alice asked as Snape looked at her.

"Well, I know all the words to Your Song," Snape replied as Alice moved closer.

"Sing it to me."

"No!" Snape exclaimed as his eyes bulged out. "Absolutely not."

"Why?" Alice whined.

"Because…"Snape sputtered as he tried to block out an image of himself serenading Alice. "Because I can't sing!"

"Everyone can sing, Sev!" Alice cried as she bit her lips and pouted her face. Snape prayed to Merlin and the other powerful wizards that he could remain song. "Please…for me?"

One look into her gorgeous blue eyes and Snape knew.

He was finished.

Swallowing a gulp, Snape heaved a sigh. "It's a little bit funny, this feeling inside. I'm not…"

"Wait, wait!" Alice cried, raising her hands before smiling at Snape.

"What are you doing?"

"I want to create a mental image of this. Severus Snape singing to me."

"Don't you dare!"

"I need to get a Pensieve."

"ALICE!"

"Okay, okay, fine!" Alice huffed before plucking her lips and tapping her fingers on her knees. "Tink tink-tink tink-tink tink tink-tink…"

"What are you doing?!" Snape asked as he gaped at her, dumbfounded.

"I'm playing the piano!" Alice replied as she winked at Severus. "Let's do this together! Come on."

Snape groaned in response as Alice continued to mimic her air piano sounds. Waiting for his cue, Snape cleared his throat.

"It's a little bit funny, this feeling inside. I'm not one of those who can easily hide."

"I don't have much money, but boy if I did." Alice sang, surprising Snape. "I'd buy a big house where we both could live."

"You know Elton?" Snape asked as Alice nodded. "Come on, if I was a sculptor, but then again, no."

"Or a man who makes potions in a travelling show," Snape added as Alice giggled. "I know it's not much, but it's the best I can do."

"My gift is my song, and this one's for you! Come on, Sev!" Alice said as she leapt to her feet. "Dance with me."

Snape shook his head as he laughed. Alice's infectious personality had won him over once more. Standing to his feet, Snape was surprised as Alice placed her arms around his neck. Placing his gingerly on her waist, he and Alice started to sway in front of the fire.

"And you can tell everybody, this is your song." Alice sang as Snape stared into her eyes, captivated by her smile. "It may be quite simple but now that's it's done."

"I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind that I put down in words," Snape whispered as he leaned in. "A wonderful life is while you're in the world." As Snape and Alice started to dance slightly in front of the fire, Snape could hear the voice of Elton John singing the rest of the song in his head.

 _I sat on the roof and kicked off the moss,_

 _Well, a few of the verses, well, they've got me quite cross,_

 _But the sun's been quite kind while I wrote this song,_

 _It's for people like you that keep it turned on._

Snape thought to the memories in the forest, the conversations with Alice. How he had laughed as they shared their day, their pranks on each other involving water, their intimate and caring speeches to one another.

 _So excuse me forgetting, but these things I do._

 _You see I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue,_

 _Anyways, the thing is, what I really mean…_

 _Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen._

"Alice?" Snape whispered as their faces grew closer. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He inched his head forward, his nose brushing lightly against hers as he felt her breath on his lips.

 _And you can tell everybody, this is your song_

 _It may be quite simple but, now that it's done_

"Sev?" Alice whispered back as her cheeks grew red. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she inched forward, her lips trembling as well. A tiny spark shook her as soon as her nose touched his, his breath sending surges of pleasure throughout her body.

 _I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind that I put down in words_

 _How wonderful life is while you're in the world_

Pushing aside everything in his mind and heart, everything that he knew, past or future, happiness or misery, life or death, Snape plucked up the courage as he crashed his lips onto Alice. He shut his eyes as she shut hers, his hands running to her face while her fingers ran through his hair.

 _I hope you don't mind,_

 _I hope you don't mind_

 _That I put down in words…_

 _A wonderful life is while you're in the world._

Lighting stuck the tower-tops of Hogwarts castle while thunder boomed throughout the sky. Over the Quidditch one could see a group of former students screaming and cheering wildly as a golden snitch laid in a palm of a Seeker, bringing an end to the greatest Quidditch game ever seen at Hogwarts. High up in the stands, a headmaster was applauding as he beamed down on his students and faculty while he stroked his beard with tears in his eyes. Over the other side of the Great Lake, a young protégé was seen yelling in delight while a gruffly old master chided him for his arrogance before firing a Stunning spell his way. Yet the most interesting thing to see was perhaps the most ordinary thing of all as inside the home of the Hogwarts gatekeeper laid a wizard and witch passionately sharing their first, second and many more kisses as they swayed in front of a burning fireplace, finally acknowledging the most basic yet purest of emotions.

Love.

…

 **A/N: So hope all you Snape/Alice fans are happy! Yes, it was going that way for some time. I originally didn't have the Elton John song but I kept hearing it over and over again and since it fits the time period, I thought why not?**

 **Hope you all notice the Disney reference I placed here? Haha**

 **Thanks for reading and once again, please review if you can!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: So, here is Chapter 10. I've made some adjustments to it for reasons I will disclose at in my Author's Note at the end of this chapter. I'm sorry but this story is a tragedy as that is Snape's life. It doesn't mean that the story doesn't have a happy ending but there are some hardships that have to happen before we get there. I've always loved the flawed, tragic heroes or antiheroes in fictional stories. After all, Fitzgerald once mentioned, "Show me a hero and I'll write you a tragedy." Forgive me for what I have to do.**

 **In the meantime, please enjoy this chapter. I appreciate all your feedback so review if you can! Thank you.**

 **Disclaimer: You already know who it belongs to.**

 **The Importance of Being Snape**

 _"You do care…You care so much you feel as though you will bleed to death with the pain of it."_ _Albus Dumbledore, The Order of the Phoenix_

 **Chapter 10**

 **1979**

 _At first, it was the gentle pressing of lips. The aroma of her apple shampoo drifting into him, like a scent of passion as Snape continued to let his lips linger upon first. However, once the first step had been initiated, what followed could only be described as a primal force of passion as Alice pressed her lips onto his once more, this time more desperate to savour the taste of him. He could feel her tongue forcing her way through as Snape allowed his to envelop hers. Every tilt of the head, every movement of her hands caused the butterflies inside his stomach to flutter at a furious pace as her touch sent shiver after shiver, wave after wave, of insatiable pleasure flowing throughout his blood. Snape could feel a hardness growing between his legs as he spied Alice's cleavage whose heaving bosom was just screaming to be let out. With a growl unlike anything he ever let out before, Snape dropped his hands onto Alice's bottom as he raised her from the floor. This led to her pushing him onto the bed as she kissed him all over the face from his cheeks to his nose and down to his neck as Snape let out whimpers and moans of ecstasy. Alice raised her head, her expression one filled with lust and passion as she worked on unbuttoning her shirt with her red, satin push-up bra coming into full view. Snape could only gape at the wonder as Alice grabbed his hands and pressing his large hands onto her ample breasts while moaning out his name in a tone that drove him mad with desire. She then took his fingers before pulling them towards her skirt where, as his eyes widened out like large saucers, made him realised that she was very much…_

"Wet."

"What?!" Snape cried as he dragged himself out from his thoughts to see a soaked Lily in front of him, frowning at him in puzzlement.

"You're still wet, Sev," Lily replied as she motioned to his wand. Snape nodded sheepishly as he cast the warming spell on himself while Dumbledore who had been leaning against a rock, chuckled lightly.

"A Galleon for your thoughts, Sev," Dumbledore said as his eyes twinkled while Snape did his best to hide his blushing face. No amount of money or power would ever get him to divulge what happened at Hagrid's Hut. It was a memory, Snape thought proudly, which would only be _for_ him, vowing to use Occlumency to keep anyone out.

"Focus, Sev!" Lily admonished him as she handed him the Invisibility Cloak.

"Sorry, Lily," Snape replied as Lily gave him another curious stare before following Dumbledore into the cave. He and Lily had met up with Dumbledore in his office before the trio made their way to the cave to destroy the locket Horcrux. Snape recalled Dumbledore insisting on bringing the cloak as well as Sirius and the other members of the DA going towards Hogsmeade to have pints of Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks. Snape felt a pang of jealousy as he watched Alice run off with Frank though his mind calmed him at the thought of what happened inside the hut.

"This is the place, Sir," Lily spoke as she stopped abruptly with Snape nearly crashing into her. Dumbledore's fingers ran about the hard surface of the rock wall before making a _tsking_ sound with his lips.

"So crude. You disappoint me, Tom." Dumbledore sighed before whipping a sharp knife from under his cloak. Before Snape or Lily could protest, a flash of silver appeared in front of them as Dumbledore placed his bloody hand onto the rocky surface, allowing for the archway to appear once more.

"Sir, one of us could have..." Snape began to speak as Dumbledore shook his head.

"Both your blood is much, more precious than mine, Severus. You will understand that, one day." Dumbledore said as he entered the vast, black cavern. Snape and Lily exchanged a look as Dumbledore proceeded to walk ahead of them around the edge of the lake, whispering something to himself as his fingers ran through the empty air. Smiling, Dumbledore came to a halt and, just as James had done previously, tapped his wand against an invisible chain that Dumbledore held in the air. The boat soon came to view as Dumbledore turned to face them, with his wand pointing towards the pair.

Snape felt a strange, cold feeling flowing through him as Dumbledore cast a spell upon the pair. Snape recalled the word Dumbledore used, though the language was unlike anything Snape had heard before. Snape felt himself feeling slightly fitter and hungrier as he felt himself growing slightly shorter.

"What did you do to us?" Lily asked as Snape took a look at her. Lily looked the same as she always was, though judging from her expression; Snape could see that something felt wrong. Dumbledore gave each of them a smile before motioning towards the boat.

"That vessel only allows transport for one fully, matured wizard or witch. It cares not for weight, but on one's magical ability. What I've done is made a loophole by de-aging the both of you to your fifteen-year-old state, something I suspect that Voldemort himself has missed. Do not fret. What I've done is only temporary and will wear off soon enough. Now, get in." Dumbledore said as he motioned towards the boat. Given its small size, Snape took a step in before squeezing himself towards one end, while Lily pushed herself closer towards him. Dumbledore then entered the boat and just as it did before, took off as soon as he placed both his feet inside the vessel.

"Are you okay?" Snape said as he shifted his body to give Lily more space. Lily nodded silently in response although, in the darkness of the cavern, Snape could not see that she was blushing furiously being this close to him. Eager for any form of distraction, Lily motioned towards the lake and the creatures that lay in its depths.

"Professor, what do you think is in there?" Lily said before gasping as a human hand floated to the surface. Dumbledore lit his wand and frowned as Lily and Snape peered towards the lake. Snape gasp as a grisly corpse came to view, its skin deteriorating and rotting while its sharp teeth protruded from its lips. It was his eyes, however, that frightened Snape the most. The white and cloudy eyes, devoid of any life, reminded Snape of the corpses he had seen in recent memory.

"These are Inferi," Dumbledore muttered as he frowned. "The lake is full of them."

Lily look at Snape for an explanation as Snape shook his head. The Inferi were grisly puppets, gaunt skeletal beings that were reanimated by a Dark Wizard's spell. Similar to zombies in a way, Inferi were fierce and dangerous creatures, brought into this world through necromancy. They were capable of tearing human flesh to shreds and proved quite difficult to combat against. Inferi comprised of both wizards and Muggles and their appearance depended on their host as well as the time between their deaths.

"Fire is one way to fight against these monsters. Whenever light comes to battle, the darkness will retreat." Dumbledore said as he heaved a sigh. "However, that isn't what concerns me. What concerns me is that some of these Inferi seem… _fresh._ "

"Fresh?" Lily cried as her voice echoed throughout the cavern. "You mean they were put in there _recently_?"

"It would appear so," Dumbledore said as he pointed behind Snape. "We are here."

Though he could not turn his head, Snape knew that Dumbledore was right as the green glow from the tiny island shone from behind him. The boat came to a halt as Snape felt the vessel bump hard against the surface of the island. Helping Lily out of the boat, the two young sorcerers watched as Dumbledore approached the stone basin. Snape could see the expression on his former headmaster's face which alarmed him. He had expected to see a triumphant look on his face or Dumbledore frowning, or looking curious, or confused or maybe even angry but instead, from the lack of twinkle in his eyes and his sagged shoulders, there was only one word to describe the Hogwarts Headmaster's expression.

Resigned.

Dumbledore conjured up a goblet in his hand as he turned around to smile at Snape and Lily.

"Professor?" Lily said as she pointed to the cup. "What is that for?"

"This, my dear Miss Evans, is the only way to retrieve the locket. I know that both of you are excellent at Potions so can either of you tell me what the green liquid is?"

Snape, who had witnessed the potion before, shook his head while Lily frowned deeply before shaking her head as well.

"That, my dears, is the Drink of Despair. A powerful charm lies upon the potion that prevents anyone from retrieving the locket by any means with the exception of drinking it. By now, you both must have wondered why Voldemort would even allow a wizard to pass safely through the Inferi towards his prized possession. It is merely due to the fact that Voldemort intends to know who his intruder is. This curiosity, however, does not lessen his evil as the Drink of Despair will force the person to fall into a weakened state, one that would probably incapacitate him."

"Dumbledore!" Snape gasped as Lily stared at Albus in horror. "Let me take the potion instead!"

Dumbledore shook his head as he smiled towards Severus Snape. He had recalled the young boy in his first year, the angry, hate-filled child who wouldn't stand up for others. How far had Severus come in such a short time? The man before him was a true Gryffindor, one willing to sacrifice his own life for the betterment of others.

 _Oh Severus, if only you knew what was coming_

"No, Severus," Dumbledore said before his tone dropped into a low, serious whisper. Dumbledore removed two objects from his cloak and handed them to the pair. The first was the Sword of Gryffindor which had now reverted to its normal size which he handed to Lily. The second was a curious item, one which Snape had seen before. _The Deluminator!_ Snape thought as Dumbledore handed it over to him. He had seen it Dumbledore use it once, to remove the lights from lamps.

"Sir?" Severus said as Dumbledore raised his hand, indicating that no one should interrupt him.

"Use it when things seem their darkest, Severus. You will know when. Now to both of you, listen to me. Now when I consume this liquid, there is a strong possibility that I will reach a state that I will ask you to stop me due to pain or delusion. I want you to ignore this. You will continue to force me to consume the liquid until the locket can be retrieved. Under no circumstances, do you do anything else, is that clear?"

"Yes, Sir." Both Snape and Lily said in unison.

"Thank you. My dear Severus and Lily, please forgive an old man for what is about to happen. You may not understand these words right now but just know this… it was the only way." Dumbledore sighed as Snape and Lily exchanged alarming looks. Dumbledore stood to his feet as he placed the goblet on the liquid, bypassing its protective enchantments. With a scoop of the green liquid, Dumbledore raised the goblet. "Your good health," Dumbledore said before draining the first goblet.

The first few drinks seemed to have no effect on Dumbledore as Snape and Lily exchange nervous look. On his fourth drink, however, Dumbledore gave a frown as his eyes remained closed, almost as if he was trying to fight the pain. For a moment, Dumbledore appeared to be fine. Then, all of a sudden, Snape watched as Dumbledore staggered before falling forward against the basin, his breathing heavy.

"Professor Dumbledore?" Snape called out, his voice strained. "Can you hear me?"

Dumbledore did not answer. Instead, his face was twitching as though he was deeply asleep, but dreaming a horrible dream. His grip on the goblet was slackening; the potion was about to spill from it. Lily reached forward and grasped the crystal cup, holding it steady. "Professor, can you hear me?" she repeated loudly, her voice echoing around the cavern.

For a moment, it seemed that no answer would escape his lips. Then, Snape and Lily watched as their former headmaster panted out loud before speaking in a strange voice, almost as if something had greatly frightened him.

"I don't want. . . Don't make me ..."

Snape stared into the whitened face he knew so well, at the crooked nose and half-moon spectacles, and did not know what to do. ". . . don't like . . . want to stop . . ." moaned Dumbledore.

"You can't stop, Professor," Snape said as he stared at Lily who looked in distress. "You've got to keep drinking, remember? You told us you had to keep drinking. Here . . ."

Hating himself, repulsed by what he was doing, Snape forced the goblet back toward Dumbledore's mouth and tipped it, so that Dumbledore drank the remainder of the potion inside. "No ..." he groaned, as Snape lowered the goblet back into the basin and refilled it for him. "I don't want to. ... I don't want to. . . . Let me go. . . ."

"Snape, stop," Lily begged as Snape shook his head, his resolve remaining firm

"It's all right, Professor," said Snape, his hand shaking. "It's all right, I'm here —"

"Make it stop, make it stop," moaned Dumbledore.

"Yes... yes, this'll make it stop," Snape said as he cursed himself for lying. He tipped the contents of the goblet into Dumbledore's open mouth. Dumbledore screamed; the noise echoed all around the vast chamber, across the dead black water

. "NOOOO! I can't! I can't! Don't make me, please. PLEASE! I don't warn to. . . ." Dumbledore pleaded as tears dripped down his face. Snape hated himself at that moment, his resolve weakening as he held the goblet in his hands.

"It's all right, Professor. Everything is going to be all right.

Snape looked towards Lily who was now whispering as she stroked Dumbledore's head. "Shhhh" Lily whispered as she motioned for Snape to take another gobletful. With his trembling hands, Snape scooped up yet another goblet of potion as his heart brightened slightly at the sight that the basin was now half empty.

"Nothing's happening to you, you're safe, it isn't real, I swear it isn't real — take this, now, take this..." Lily whispered as she took the goblet from Snape and pressed it onto Dumbledore's lips. Dumbledore consumed the liquid obediently though upon finishing it, sank to his knees while he shook uncontrollably. "It's all my fault, all my fault," he sobbed. "Please make it stop, I know I did wrong, oh please make it stop and I'll never, never again ..."

"If you want it to stop, Professor, you have to drink." Lily cried though her voice was cracking as she tipped the seventh glass of potion into Dumbledore's mouth. Dumbledore began to cower as though invisible torturers surrounded him; his flailing hand almost knocked the refilled goblet from Snape's trembling hands as Dumbledore continued to moan each time they handed him the goblet.

"Don't hurt them, don't hurt them, please, please, it's my fault, hurt me instead ..."

"It's okay, Professor, keep drinking."

"Please, please, please, no ... not that, not that, I'll do anything ..."

"Just drink, Professor, just drink . . ."

. "No more, please, no more ..."

"We're nearly there, Professor. Drink this, drink it. ..."

"KILL ME!"

"It'll be over ... all over!" Dumbledore gulped at the final goblet scoop, drained every last drop, and then, with a great, rattling gasp, rolled over onto his face.

"No!" shouted Snape and Lily, who dropped to their knees. Dumbledore's glasses were askew, his mouth agape, his eyes closed. "No." Lily said, shaking Dumbledore, "no, you're not dead, you said it wasn't poison, wake up, wake up!" Lily screamed as Snape pointed his wand towards the wizard, casting spells. For a few long seconds, Snape feared the worst. Suddenly, he could see Dumbledore's eyelids beginning to flutter as a soft croak escaped his lips.

"Water," croaked Dumbledore. "Water,"

" Aguamenti!" Lily shouted, jabbing the goblet with her wand. The goblet filled with clear water but as soon as she brought it to Dumbledore's lips, the goblet was empty.

"Snape, what's happening?!" Lily cried as Snape stared in shock at the disappearing water.

"It must be the potion or some sort of enchantment, Lily. Water from the wand can't touch his lips." Snape said as he looked around. There was nothing in sight except for the lake, surrounding the island on all sides. His brain whirling in panic, Snape flung himself over to the edge of the rock and plunged the goblet into the lake, bringing it up full to the brim of icy water. Snape and Lily gave a cry of relief as the water did not disappear but instead allowed itself to enter Dumbledore's lips.

Snape reached towards the lake once more, ready to take another goblet when out of its depths, a slimy white hand had gripped his wrist. The surface of the lake was no longer mirror-smooth; it was churning, and everywhere Snape looked, white heads and hands were emerging from the dark water, men and women and children with sunken, sightless eyes were moving toward the rock: an army of the dead rising from the black water.

"Lily!" Snape cried as he wrenched his hand away. The pair of them stood over Dumbledore throwing spell after spell towards the Inferi, who seemed unfazed as they moved closer towards the group.

"Remember what Dumbledore said!" Lily called out as a blaze of flames emerged from her wand. Snape nodded as he did the same, both of them firing out as many flames as they possibly could. The Inferi cowered from the flames with many burning in the process. Yet the overwhelming and sheer size of their numbers were slowly weakening Snape's and Lily efforts as both of them felt tired and strained, their spells not being able to match up to the strength of the enemy.

All of the sudden within the darkness of the cavern, a fire erupted: crimson and gold, a ring of fire that surrounded the rock so trio, its blazing heat so hot that the Inferi merely hissed but did not dare pass through the flames. The Inferi dropped back, retreating into the sanctuary of the lake as Snape turned to see a woken Dumbledore, leaning on the basin; his wand rose like a torch and from its tip emanated the flames, like a vast lasso, encircling them all with warmth. The Inferi bumped into each other, attempting, blindly, to escape the fire in which they were enclosed and Dumbledore did not stop until they were all gone. With none of them in sight, Dumbledore reached into the stone basin and scooped out the locket from its bottom.

Without a word, Dumbledore threw the locket onto the rocky surface before whispering some ancient words. Snape watched in awe as the locket started to crack on both its sides though it still remained.

"Lily, now," Dumbledore spoke as Lily raised the sword before slamming its end onto the locket. The locket released a loud screech as black smoke started to rise in the air until finally, the locket stopped screaming as it broke into a thousand pieces, its remnants scattered throughout the rocky surface.

"You did it!" Snape cheered as he and Lily shared a hug. Dumbledore laughed at the pair before letting out a groan, causing both Snape and Lily to stop their celebrations midway to tend to the wizard.

"I'm fine," Dumbledore said as he gave Lily a reassuring smile. As Lily and Dumbledore exchanged words, Snape felt a vibration in his pants. Reaching inside, Snape pulled out a Galleon, the same one he used to communicate with Regulus. The message on the coin baffled Snape as he cleared his throat to face Dumbledore.

"Sir, I've received a message from Regulus," Snape said. "He mentions that Voldemort just requested for a house-elf and has left the manor."

"A house-elf." Lily cried as she scratched her head. "What in Merlin's name does Voldemort need an elf for? I don't suppose it's to do chores."

"Dumbledore, what's wrong?" Snape asked as Dumbledore had a strange expression on his face, his eyes locked towards the edge of the lake where the darkness seemed to be more intimidating than it usually was.

"He's coming," Dumbledore whispered, his lips trembling as Snape and Lily stared at him in terror.

…

Alice walked out of the Three Broomsticks, the raucous atmosphere of the pub proving too much for her. She had all sorts of thoughts running through her head, all of them focusing on a black-haired wizard with grey eyes. Alice smiled as she thought of what had happened inside Hagrid's Hut. She had never done that before, not even with Frank. It was strange when Alice thought of the first time she had properly spoken to Snape, that such a thought had never even existed. Alice did feel a moment of guilt while thinking of Mary but she knew, in her heart, that her late best friend would have wanted her to be happy. As Alice rubbed her hands, trying to protect it from the cold winds, she wished Dorcas would be here right now but her female best friend was staying with Remus at the Shrieking Shack, keeping an eye on the werewolf. She peered through the glass window of the pub, seeing Sirius and Peter laughing as they traded quips on how the Quidditch match went. Alice wondered where Frank had gotten off to when she felt a tap on her right shoulder.

"Too noisy inside, huh?" Frank spoke as Alice turned to face him. He had a nervous look on his face, one which made Alice feel uneasy.

"Yeah," Alice spoke in a high-pitched voice as she smiled at him. "Just needed some time to collect my thoughts."

"Congrats on Penelope being an aunt," Frank exclaimed as he scratched the back of his head. "I'm glad things are working out for her."

"Yeah, it is, isn't it?" Alice sighed as she stared into the brown eyes of her ex-boyfriend. Despite their relationship ending, Alice always wanted to remain friends with Frank even though she knew how difficult it would be. The war, despite its horrors, had come as a silver lining to them both, providing both of them with a distraction. Then again, it also meant that Alice and Frank had to stay with each other despite both needing to spend some distance apart in order to heal. Her thoughts of Snape only fuelled her guilt as Alice wondered if she should tell Frank about what happened.

"How's your mother?" Alice said as she cursed herself for being mentally weak. Frank looked at her in surprise before smiling.

"She's doing okay. She misses you, though."

"Really?" Alice said incredulously as Frank gave a laugh.

"Really. I know that Mother can be a handful but the truth is, she's a strong woman and she respects a strong woman like yourself."

"I think your mother hated me because I was stealing away her son," Alice said as Frank shook his head.

"I'm done letting my mother tell me what to do. She can't tell me how to feel." Frank said as he took a step closer to Alice. Alice felt herself being more uncomfortable by the second. Trying to play it cool, Alice stuffed her hands around her cloak before pulling out what she thought was her wand only to see a hyacinth flower in her hand. She had charmed it so that the petals did not break or wilt nor did the flower see damage in any way. Frank raised his eyebrows as he stared at the flower.

"Where did you get that?"

"Oh," Alice said, before deciding not to lie. "Sev gave it to me."

Frank's face considerably darkened as he stuffed his hands into his coat. "Oh."

"Yeah," Alice said as she gave Frank an apologetic look. "Frank…"

"Are you two… you know…" Frank asked as he glared at her.

"I don't know," Alice replied hastily. "We never spoke about it." as Frank's face turned a bright red.

"No, you just shag on a daily basis, don't you?!" Frank spat. "Were you shagging him behind my back?"

"Frank!" Alice snapped. "Do you think I'm that kind of girl?!"

"I don't know, Alice!" Frank cried as he raised his hands in the air. "Can you blame me for being angry? You and Snape always had your get-togethers in secret! Talking and sharing things with each other that you won't share with me and you blame me for being jealous?!"

"I share things with you too that I don't share with him!" Alice cried hotly. "You're the one that became so possessive! So clingy!"

"Well, if your girlfriend starts spending more time with a guy than you, can you really fault me?! Especially when it turns out to be true!"

"You don't know what you're talking about!"

"Oh please," Frank replied icily as he scowled at her. "You made me feel like I was special and then, all of a sudden, you fall for some guy with a sob story that you can relate. You know what? I don't actually hate Snape but the guy stole my girlfriend from me and he has the gall to be upset when Lily fell for James?"

"He didn't steal me away from you." Alice cried. "I chose him, Frank! If you're going to blame someone, blame me!"

"Oh, I do!" Frank roared as people on the street gave them questionable looks. One glare from Frank got them to scatter before he turned his attention back to Alice. "You think I want to be around you and him, right now? I would rather much just get away from the pair of you so you can go about snogging all you want!"

"Then go! No one is asking you to stay!" Alice snapped though her eyes became teary.

"I can't do that to James!" Frank cried as he glared back at her though Alice could see his eyes were shimmering as well. "I'm not going to turn my back on the war just because my heart is broken!"

"I'm….I'm sorry, Frank," Alice whispered as she took a step towards him, only for Frank to pull away.

"Yeah, me too," Frank whispered as he looked back at Alice, his expression softening as the anger ebbed away, leaving behind only sadness. Alice could feel the guilt rising in her chest as Frank wiped away his tears.

"Tell me." Frank sniffed as he stared at her with red, wet eyes. "Did you fall for him before we broke up or after?"

Alice gave a whimper as she came to a loss for words. She wished, beyond anything, to tell Frank that she did fall for Snape after they broke up but she knew, deep down, that it wasn't true. All those times Penelope had told her how painful the truth can be and only now did she realise how true the saying was. Alice heaved a sigh as she took another step forward only for Frank to take another step back.

"I still remember that night, you know," Frank said as Alice stared at him. "That night when Mary died. I remember how painful it was, thinking you had died for Snape, sacrificing yourself stupidly like that. I thought nothing could ever hurt as much. Guess I was wrong." Frank said as he turned around, walking away from the pub.

"Frank, where are you going?!" Alice called out as she took another step, intending to follow him only for Frank to raise his hand.

"I need some time to be alone," Frank whispered as he walked into the night. As Alice watched him depart, she felt herself bursting into tears as she hugged herself tightly. The cold winds were piercing her cheeks as she felt sharp pangs of pain on her face but Alice didn't care. Nothing could hurt as much as her heart did. As Alice collapsed on a bench with her head buried in her hands, she failed to see the hyacinth flower jutting out from her pocket, the petals appearing to be more purplish than blue.

….

"Quickly, get to that corner and hide underneath the Cloak," Dumbledore spoke as he pointed to a far end of the tiny rock island. Snape and Lily looked ready to protest, only for Dumbledore to whisper in his most commanding voice. " _Do as I say!"_

Nodding his head, Snape and Lily threw the cloak over themselves as they crawled to the far end of the rock. Even through the darkness, Snape could make out a large pile of black smoke floating towards them.

"Whatever you do or whatever you see, do not reveal yourselves in any way. I'm so sorry." Dumbledore said as he stood to his feet, ready to face the horror that was coming their way. Snape silently cast a Silencing Charm inside the cloak as he could feel Lily hands grabbing him tightly. The smoke soon reached the island as it gave way to reveal Lord Voldemort and a frightened, ancient-looking elf. The blood red eyes of Voldemort gleamed dangerously as his reptilian and waxy appearance looked far more intimidating in the darkness of the cave. Snape saw as Voldemort approached Dumbledore cautiously, his wand sticking out from under his hand.

" _Dumbledore…_ " Voldemort whispered as Kreacher whimpered, the house-elf inching further away from the pair.

"Tom." Dumbledore cried weakly as he held his wand. Voldemort's eyes darted towards the goblet on the floor before turning towards Dumbledore, his face holding a malicious sneer.

"I should have known. If anyone could have discovered my secret, it would be you."

"Your ego blinds you from the truth, Tom."

"That's not my name!" Voldemort spat as Dumbledore shook his head.

"I'm not calling you by that. You are no lord, just a frightened boy who succumbed to the Dark Arts."

"Frightened, eh?" Voldemort whispered dangerously as Dumbledore nodded his head.

"Yes. Isn't that why you made these?" Dumbledore cried as he revealed the destroyed locket, its image causing the Dark Lord to recoil in anger. "Of all the foolish things that you've done, splitting your soul does take the cake," Dumbledore replied as he revealed his blackened hand, slipping the ring off his finger. "Seven times, no less."

Snape could see that Voldemort was ready to snap, his wrath imminent as Snape gazed into his hateful eyes. Yet the sight of Dumbledore's blackened hand seemed to have softened the Dark Lord, who instead of cursing, let out a malicious laugh.

"You are dying, old man. You fell for my curses and you call me foolish?!"

"I'm not the one who's afraid of death," Dumbledore replied, his tone rising as he stood tall, though Snape could see that his legs were trembling. "How ironic is it that the most powerful Dark wizard to ever exist is afraid of something so common and simple as death? Even your followers are braver than you, each willing to risk their lives for your cause and how do you reward them? By making them all fear you."

"Fear is a much better thing to have than respect, you Muggle-loving simpleton." Voldemort drawled. "You wish you could have walked in my shoes, Dumbledore. You wish you could have conquered death."

"And what makes you think that I didn't?" Dumbledore said as Voldemort, Snape, and Lily stared at the old wizard in surprise. "You think you were the only one? I too sought a way to conquer Death but I never had to demean myself by splitting my soul. There are far worse things than death in this world, Tom. Something you ought to have learnt."

"Enough!" Voldemort said as he pointed his wand, blasting a spell towards Dumbledore who deflected it easily.

"No!" Dumbledore roared as Snape watched the Dark Lord cower slightly. Snape stared at Albus, whose blue eyes no longer twinkled but instead was filled with rage. Every inch of his wrinkles, ever line on his face, contorted to give Dumbledore a truly terrifying visage.

"You are nothing more than a vile coward, Tom! You kill the innocent and the guilty without any regard, your spells and your followers having taken the blood of Muggles and wizards alike! I should have seen it earlier, how truly weak you were, having to consort to Dark Magic just to make your ego feel better! There are days when I wished I had left you in that orphanage, the one place where you would have withered away instead of casting your evil upon us all. You are nothing but a witless, miserable coward!"

"HOW DARE YOU?!" Voldemort roared in anger, his rage causing Lily to press herself closer to Snape. "Perhaps you won't be so cocky after I kill you, old man."

Dumbledore gave a derisive laugh as Voldemort gawked at the older wizard. _He's gone mad_ Voldemort thought as his eyes darted to the stone basin.

"You wish you could kill me but I will never give you the satisfaction of it, Tom," Dumbledore replied as Snape's and Lily's eyes began to widen. "There had to be a reason, isn't there for you never to have called me out to duel? You claim to be the most powerful wizard in the world and yet, you never even dared to come to where I was, challenge me to a fight like an honourable wizard would. Instead, you skulk away like a coward because you know, deep down, you could never defeat me."

Voldemort felt his anger starting to boil over. "Only because I'm not an imbecile Gryffindor like you are, Albus! I'm the Heir of Salazar Slytherin himself! Do you think I'm afraid of you? YOU?! The saviour of Mudbloods and Mudblood lovers?! I am a king and a lord while you're nothing more than a pathetic headmaster."

"Your taunts mean nothing to me, Tom," Dumbledore replied. " You're not even the most powerful Dark Wizard there was."

"Grindelwald?!" Voldemort cried in anger. "You're comparing me to Grindelwald."

"An insult to Gellert, so he tells me," Dumbledore said. "At least he had ambition, ideas to be executed. Gellert was on the run at the same age, having defeated many opponents, whereas you were a Head Boy. You could have done outstanding things in your life, even becoming Minister For Magic one day but instead, you balked at such dreams, wishing nothing more than to throw yourself into Dark magic all because you were afraid to die. Gellert, despite his evil, had followers that believed in him, worshipped him, and listened to him but you? You make them fear you, hiding behind the delusion that you want purebloods to rule over the muggles which we both know has never been your true intention. You are the simpleton, Tom, wanting nothing more than to have power."

"And yet you defeated Grindelwald that year I became Head Boy, did you not?" Voldemort snapped as he felt the sting of Dumbledore's words. "All that power and Gellert loses to the likes of you because he chose to duel you in combat. But I was more cunning, more resourceful. I bided my time like a True Slytherin, growing stronger and weakening you until you make a mistake and you did. How is it, an all-powerful wizard like yourself could fall for putting on the ring? I've overestimated you, Dumbledore and now, you finally die underneath my wand."

"Hasn't a single thing I've spoken pierced through that thick skull of yours, Tom?" Dumbledore spoke as Voldemort turned his attention back to him. "You think death frightens me as it does you? I am ready to die, Tom, for many years now. The only thing preventing me from doing so earlier was you. But not anymore. He is coming."

"Who is?!" Voldemort snapped, his curiosity overwhelming his anger. "Who is coming?"

"The wizard who will defeat you."

"Lies!" Voldemort cried as Dumbledore shook his head.

"No, Tom. Soon, there will be born a wizard, far more powerful than you or I. And when he comes, he will have a power that you know not. And the last thing you will see as he defeats you will be just how all of it, everything you've done since you first stepped into Hogwarts, was all for nothing. When there is light, the darkness retreats."

Voldemort tried to compose himself as he considered the words of Dumbledore. No doubt, the old man had some skills but Divination had never been one of them. _Could it be true? Could there be someone who will come to defeat him?_

 _I must destroy this so-called powerful wizard!_ Voldemort thought as he concentrated his wand back at Dumbledore. To his surprise, Dumbledore lowered his wand, his expression softening as he stared sadly back at Tom.

"Before I die, Tom, I do have one last thing to say to you." Dumbledore sighed as Voldemort stared at Dumbledore, astonished by the expression on his face. Despite his disgust for Dumbledore, it shocked him that the most powerful wizard since Merlin himself didn't seem to want to put up a fight.

"I'm sorry,"

 _What?!_

"Forgive for an old man." Dumbledore sighed. " You never stood a chance, having been born underneath a Love Potion concocted by your mother to seduce your father. Your heart is devoid of love and so you filled it with hate. Perhaps if I had paid more attention to you at Hogwarts, none of this would have happened. But it has and now others will have to pay the price for my mistake. Maybe you are capable of remorse, Tom. It would give you the strength to which you are lacking."

 _How dare he?!_ Voldemort thought as he glared daggers at Dumbledore with blazing red eyes. _I do not need your pity, old man! I am LORD VOLDEMORT!_

"Enough of this," Voldemort said as he aimed the wand at Dumbledore while staring at the destroyed locket and ring. "Pick up your wand, old man. I will give you the fight you so badly desire."

Dumbledore gave a laugh before staring at Kreacher with sad eyes. Snape could almost see Dumbledore's lips moving, eliciting a wordless apology as he kicked the wand towards Voldemort.

"You can have my wand. My dear Tom," Dumbledore said as he reached into his cloak. "Did you honestly think I would allow you to make a Horcrux out of me?"

A flash of silver, a burst of red and Lily nearly screaming in horror only for Snape to stifle her voice with his hand, thankful for his Silencing Charm. Voldemort and Kreacher stared in shock as the knife Dumbledore had pulled out was now in his chest, blood spurting out from the wound. The old wizard turned around as he gave the invisible pair a smile before collapsing on the ground, a smile on his lips as life disappeared from his eyes.

 _Dumbledore, no!_ Snape thought, horrified by what he had just witnessed. Lily had turned her head away from the scene, burying herself onto Snape's chest as she sobbed. Snape could see the shock disappearing away from Voldemort's expression as the wrinkles on his reptilian and waxy countenance turned into one of anger.

A bright flash of green light. And Kreacher fell to the ground, his glassy orb-like eyes staring in shock as the dead elf rolled towards the edge of the tiny rock-like island.

Voldemort let out a piercing howl, his scream of anger echoing around the walls of the cavern. Snape watched, his body frozen in fear, as Voldemort advanced towards Dumbledore, his face contorted into one of fury and disgust as he pointed his wand at the wizard but not before removing the ring. Levitating the dead corpse of Albus Dumbledore, Voldemort threw him into the Black Lake and watched as the corpse disappeared amongst the waves of waters and Inferi while it sunk to its depths. Voldemort then reached for the Dumbledore's wand, that had been abandoned on the ground before staring at it with an evil glint in his eyes.

"Who else did you tell my secret too, old man?" Voldemort spoke dangerously before glancing about the rock. Snape saw Voldemort locking eyes with him as Lily shut hers, not wanting to see the snake-like red eyes of Voldemort glaring at them. For a moment, Snape thought that Voldemort had seen them as he took steps towards them, only for him to bend down and pick up the destroyed locket from the ground. Black smoke started to form around the wizard as the smoke began to spread bat-like wings before flying away from the island.

Snape and Lily huddled together, neither moving a muscle for a good five minutes before Snape decided to pull the Cloak off. Determining that they were alone, Snape stood to his feet as Lily burst into tears. Snape collapsed next to the stone basin, his tears flowing down his face as he contemplated what just happened. Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard alive and the only one Voldemort feared, was dead. The war is over, Voldemort had won.

"What do we do?" Lily croaked as Snape moved towards her, pulling her close to his chest. He looked around and was relieved to see the boat, still floating next to the island. If anything, they still had a way out.

"We should leave," Snape said as he stared at the dead body of Kreacher, leaning close to the surface of the water. Snape wondered if he could bring the elf onto the boat when Lily stood to her feet, her face holding an expression of fear.

"Severus, Voldemort knows that his Horcruxes are being destroyed!" Lily cried.

"Yes, he does. He'll probably go and make more as soon as he can." Snape sighed as Lily grabbed his arm, shaking her head furiously.

"That's not what I mean. I mean, if Voldemort knows his Horcruxes are being destroyed, he would want to check on them as soon as possible. He knows the ring and locket are gone, the diary is safe at the manor. He might want to check on the cup first if we're lucky but once he has done that, there's only one other Horcrux he will go for."

Snape felt his throat go dry as his eyes widened in realisation. "He's going to Hogwarts! We have to warn the others." Snape said as he reached into his pocket to pull out a Galleon. Typing a message away furiously, Snape watched as the Galleon glowed before sending the message.

"Come, Lily," Snape said as he pulled Lily towards the boat. "We need to get to Hogwarts as soon as possible."

"Sev…" Lily whispered as she stood rooted to the spot. Snape looked to where she was pointing, the spot where Kreacher's body had been but was now no longer in sight. Before Snape could ask Lily, he could hear growling sounds coming from the surface of the lake as white, skeletal hands and faces emerged from the water.

…..

"STUPEFY!"

"EXPILLIARMUS!"

"PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!"

Moody felt his body snapped together as his wand dropped away from him. Frozen, Moody felt himself topple to the ground, his lips barely moving due to the charm cast on him. A delighted James stood proudly over Moody as he gave a laugh.

"Hah! Finally!" James said with a triumphant look on his face as Moody managed to move his fingers, his magic forcing the charm's power to ebb slowly away. "Looks like I finally won."

"You made a mistake, kid."

"Oh, and what's that?" James said as he leaned over the wizard. Moody's eyes turned to his wand, to which James snatched off the ground and pointed both wands at him.

"Never gloat," Moody said before grinning at James. A powerful charm blasted James away as Moody used his spare wand to remove the charm. James groaned as Moody helped him to his feet, his hazel eyes glaring at Moody.

"You cheated! You had another wand!"

"I won because you were cocky!" Moody growled as he handed James back his wand. "You came close to your enemy without assessing him properly or finishing the job. Not to mention, you were also arrogant."

"I thought you could only use one wand," James replied, clearly disgruntled at the older wizard.

"All wizards have one true wand, kid, that is true," Moody exclaimed as he straightened his robes. "But that doesn't mean that a spare wand can't work. I use it all the time, especially with cocky, arrogant opponents who think they can get one over me."

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

Moody watched as his wand floated onto James's hand, a smile etched on his lips as James smirked at him. Before either wizard could speak, the sounds of distant screams pierced through the night. James and Moody cast their eyes to the village of Hogsmeade in the distance, where to their horror, they could see the Dark Mark floating high in the sky.

"Death Eaters," Moody growled as he raised his wand, ready to Apparate. "Class is over. Stay here, kid."

"Like hell I will!" James cried in anger as he glared at Moody. "My friends are there! I have to go help them."

"Help is on the way," Moody said. "I've already informed the Order and the Aurors. They are coming." Moody replied as he raised his Galleon. Staring at the Galleon, James realised that he had dropped his while duelling with Moody. Summoning the Galleon to his hand, James cried in shock.

"Voldemort is coming to Hogwarts."

"What? How?" Moody asked as James pocketed the Galleon, remembering how he promised Dumbledore that only the DA would know of the Horcruxes.

"Sev told me. He was with Dumbledore and…"

"And what, kid?" Moody said as James's eyes began to tear. "What are you on, about?!"

"Dumbledore is dead," James replied as he could see Moody staring at him in shock. "Voldemort killed him and now he's on his way to Hogwarts." Though Severus never told them in the message how Dumbledore had died, James assumed it must be so.

Moody grabbed James by his collar, shaking the young wizard furiously. "How do you know this?! Don't you say stuff like that, boy!"

"IT'S TRUE!" James roared back as he pulled his cloak away, his eyes glistening in tears. "Sev told me. Dumbledore was killed on a mission."

"What mission?"

"I can't say. Dumbledore promised me too."

Moody looked as if he was about to burst a blood vessel, his face turning purple. Yet the seemingly inevitable yell never came as James watched the colour disappear from Moody's face, only to be replaced by sadness.

" That stubborn git." Moody sighed before running his fingers through his hair. "Well, kid, if that's true then you won't be helping anyone by getting in our way."

"But my friends – "

"Will be okay," Moody replied. "I will have someone get them and bring them here. But you must stay here, James."

"I can't," James replied in a pleading voice as he grabbed Moody's arm. "These are my friends, my family. I can't just stay away."

"You have to." Moody sighed. "It was what I promised Dumbledore. That your safety would be my utmost priority. I promise I will explain to you why it is so important that you stay here but you need to trust me now. Like a true leader. Trust me and wait here, I will bring your friends."

James looked ready to protest until the most unexpected thing happened. Moody took a step forward and gave James a hug, causing the young wizard to freeze in shock. Though he did not know it, Moody was in mourning. His friend, Albus, had just died and Moody still recalled his friend's words to him earlier in the day, spoken between the pair as they trained James.

 _Whatever happens, make sure James is safe. Make sure you train him as I ask._

 _But why, Dumbledore?_

 _Just trust me. The boy has a mission._

Moody shook off any tears that threatened to come down as he composed himself. If there was just one person in the world that the paranoid Auror trusted beyond measure, it was Albus Dumbledore.

"I will bring your friends here once I find them. Whatever mission Dumbledore might have given you, it must be very important. Just stay here and I promise you, your friends will be alright." Moody released James from his hug as he stood a few feet away. He could see that James was reluctant to stay put but the young wizard did as he was told.

"Stay sharp, Potter. And oh, one final lesson." Moody said as he held the Galleon that he had pinched from James's pocket. "Constant vigilance."

"Son of a – "

….

Screams filled the air as Alice watched in terror as dozens of Death Eaters emerged from black smoke, blasting curses all around the place. She aimed a hex towards a couple of them, blasting them back as Sirius yelled for her to take refuge in an alley next to her while he fought back another Death Eater who had taken Madam Rosmerta hostage. A well-aimed jinx later and Rosmerta was safe, thanking Sirius before screaming for people to take refuge in her pub as she and a couple of wizards continued to hit the Death Eaters with spells.

"Help!" cried the voice of Peter as Alice turned to see him dancing about as a Death Eater witch cackled as she played around with him. Before Alice could cast a spell, however, the witch was blasted back as cheers were heard all around Hogsmeade. Alice turned to see a group of Aurors advancing as they did battle with the Death Eaters. Not wanting to get in the crossfire, Alice helped Peter to his feet as they stumbled into the alley where Sirius was waiting.

"Where's Frank?" Sirius asked as he flinched from the wounds on his hand.

"I don't know!" Alice said as she whirled about desperately, her guilt and fear gnawing away at her. "He said he wanted to go for a walk, I don't know where he is!"

"I'm here!" came a voice as the trio spotted Frank entering the alley. Alice could see that his head was wounded as she rushed towards him, throwing her arms around the Hufflepuff.

"Frank!" Alice wept as Frank held her tight before Sirius motioned them towards the dustbins which offered a safer hiding place, deep inside the alley.

"It's okay, Alice. The idiot hardly grazed me." Frank said as he touched the cut on the right side of his head. Alice opened her mouth, wanting to apologise before Frank shook his head, nodding towards Sirius and Peter. This wasn't the moment to talk about it, Alice knew as she turned to the group.

"So he's coming to Hogwarts," Peter whispered as Sirius glared at his Galleon.

"Dorcas and James aren't answering. I've sent a message to Sev and Lily but they haven't responded either."

"And Dumbledore is dead," Peter spoke in a low whisper as the news finally settled on the group. Alice could feel the sense of despair as Frank lowered his head while Peter shed a few tears. Sirius, on the other hand, punched his fist against the wall.

"Guys, we need to focus," Alice said, trembling as Sirius and the other boys nodded their heads.

"Okay, first, we need to meet up with Dorcas and Remus," Sirius said, taking charge. "If Voldemort is headed to Hogwarts, he could try to Apparate to the Shrieking Shack."

"Merlin!" Frank cried.

"If Voldemort is there, they're both as good as dead," Peter said as Alice gasped.

"Don't say that, Peter!"

"Then why isn't she answering?!" Peter cried back, his tone filled with anguish.

"That's not helping, Peter!" Sirius snapped. "We need to focus! I say we make our way to the Shrieking Shack, see if we can find her and Remus. James told us he was going training at the lake with Moody, remember?" Sirius said as he held up his Galleon. "So he should be safe by now. If I have to guess, I say James probably dropped his Galleon while taking on Death Eaters with Moody."

"So let's go find Dorcas now!" Alice said as the group nodded in agreement. Making their way out of the alley and through the raging battles that were taking place in the village of Hogsmeade, the four managed to enter the Forbidden Forest as they quickly made their way to the Shack.

"Guys, what is Voldemort going to do if he finds out we destroyed the Horcrux?" Peter said as the group ran through the trees, their wands ever ready to fire any curses. Though none of them responded, Alice could feel the sense of uneasiness creep over the group. Alice would have never dreamt that it was possible considering that Lord Voldemort was already a ruthless, cruel tyrant but now, with the death of Dumbledore and the fact that someone was out to kill him, it seemed that the Darkest wizard of all time had just become even more dangerous.

….

Dorcas could not move her arms or legs as she laid, propped on the wall while Remus, now in werewolf form, growled viciously in a corner. Remus was being kept at bay by a spell although that did not stop the werewolf from trying to claw and rip the wizard who cast it. Dorcas's eyes shifted to the centre of the room, where Lord Voldemort sat on a chair, his red eyes glaring at Remus. Beside him, were a bunch of Death Eaters, most of whom she could recognise. Rodolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange were next to him, each smirking and grinning at the sight of Remus. In front of them stood Antonin Dolohov, who stood silent. There were others in the room, including a familiar face. Dorcas' eyes landed on Regulus Black. Black to his credit, looked away from Remus as he stared with pained eyes at Dorcas.

A loud crack was heard as out came Igor Karkaroff, a professor at Drumstrang according to some chatter in the room. His appearance caused the entire room to go silent as Igor cowered in front of the Dark Lord.

"The attack is going as you requested, my Lord. But the Aurors and the Order have come. We have kept them at bay for now"

Lord Voldemort ignored his servant as he turned to the Lestranges. "Is it safe?"

"Yes, my Lord," Rodolphus spoke. "Rabastan and Travers are there right now."

"Good," Voldemort whispered as he stood to his feet. "And Lucius is at the Manor. Dolohov, Bellatrix, Rodolphus, you will follow me into Hogwarts. The rest of you, clear us a path."

"What about this one, My Lord?" Bellatrix cackled as she pointed her wand at Dorcas. "Shouldn't we kill the half-breed lover?"

Lord Voldemort walked over to Dorcas, who was trembling in fear. He had taken the pair by surprise, appearing in front of her as she watched Remus doze off. A spell later and Dorcas found herself frozen while Remus, growling from the appearance of the Dark Lord, tried to attack him only to fall to his wand as well. She snuck a glance at Remus, staring into the werewolf's eyes. Even though Remus appeared crazed, Dorcas could swear she could see the sadness in his pupils staring back at her. Out of the corner of her eye, Dorcas could see Regulus who had searched her upon his arrival, removing the two Galleons from her pockets. She had begged him to send a message though Regulus shook his head as he stowed the Galleons into his cloak.

"What is your name?" Voldemort said as she felt the curse lift from her lips.

"Dorcas Meadows."

"And what is your relationship to this beast?" Voldemort asked in a mocking whisper as the other Death Eaters sniggered in response.

"He's my…boyfriend." Dorcas cried proudly. If this was to be her last moments, she refused to give them any satisfaction! "Let him go," Dorcas said. "He's done nothing to you."

Voldemort stared at Remus, his face contorted with disgust as Remus snarled in response.

"You see? The problem with our world right now? Witches consorting together with disgusting breeds, all because of that arrogant, Mudblood-loving wizard? But the days of Albus Dumbledore ruining and destroying our world is over! I have defeated the so-called most powerful wizard of our time since Merlin himself! Was there ever any doubt?"

Murmurs of "No" were heard all around the shack as Bellatrix dropped to her knees, kissing the floor in front of Voldemort.

"Yet the idiot dare call me a coward?! He said that I was too afraid to show my powers! That I, Lord Voldemort, heir to Salazar himself, was nothing more than a power-hungry monster? Well, I guess perhaps it's time the wizarding world had a demonstration of my powers. I, Lord Voldemort, will be cruel! I will be hard! I will show you who the real monsters are!"

With that, Lord Voldemort blasted his wand at Remus, a red light attacking the werewolf. Remus writhed in pain as Dorcas yelled his name. Yet Remus did not die. Instead, Remus stopped to move as he stood on all fours, his eyes turning a bright crimson as he snarled and roared more violently than ever. Some of the Death Eaters flinched as others laughed at the werewolf. Dorcas stared at Remus in fear. The Wolfsbane Potion no longer had any effect on him as Remus was now a rabid, snarling creature.

"Let us show Hogsmeade what happens when they tolerate half-breeds like this one?" Voldemort said as he turned to face Dorcas. "Do you think your love for him or his love for you can overcome what he truly is? A monster?"

With that, Voldemort cast a spell as Remus leapt in the air, only to collide with some invisible barrier between him and the Death Eaters. Dorcas felt her arms and legs being freed as she leapt from the wall, only to be restricted by the barrier as well. Dorcas felt her throat constrict as she realised that the barrier separated Voldemort and the rest from her and Remus and she doubt that there was such a wall between them.

"Go on, give your boyfriend a kiss." Voldemort drawled as the Death Eaters laughed derisively in response. Without her wand which had been taken away, Dorcas was defenceless. She could see Remus approaching her, getting closer and closer as he snarled at her.

"Remus, it's me. Please, please recognise me." Dorcas begged as Remus took a step forward, baring his sharp teeth as his saliva dripped onto the floor. He then stood on two legs as Remus raised himself to his full height, towering over Dorcas. As Dorcas felt the breath on his face, she shut her eyes as she waited for the inevitable death at the hands of her werewolf boyfriend. Just as she felt his nose touch her cheek, the hot stench from his mouth vanished as Dorcas felt the presence of Remus disappear in front of her. She stared in shock as did the other Death Eaters at the spot where Remus was, now an empty space on the floor.

"Pathetic."

Everyone turned to Lord Voldemort who had a smirk on his face as he glared at Dorcas who stared at him in a mixture of fear and confusion.

"Do not say that the Dark Lord isn't merciful," Voldemort replied as he pointed his wand at Dorcas. Before she could even scream, a flash of green light filled the room as Dorcas dropped to the floor, dead.

"The werewolf should keep them busy. It's time for me to return home." Voldemort said as the Death Eaters started to cheer raucously around him.

….

"Severus!" Lily yelled as she jumped into the boat. "Come on!"

"I'm coming!" Snape said as he fought off an Inferi that was grabbing onto his ankle. Blasting his way through two more, Snape leapt into the boat. To his horror, the boat did not move as the Inferi started to make their way towards them.

"Why isn't it moving?!" Lily cried as she shot another flame towards a female Inferi whose jaw was dislocated from his face.

"Dumbledore's De-aging spell! I think we still have it on!" Snape yelled before pointing the wand at Lily. "Finite Incantatem!" Snape said as he cast the spell on Lily, praying to Merlin that it would work. At first, nothing seemed to happen as Lily shook at her head. Suddenly, Lily felt a warmth entering her body as she stared at the boat which now began to float into the lake.

"It worked!" Lily cried excitedly as Snape blew a sigh of relief. Despite this small victory, the swarm of Inferi continued to attack the boat, rocking it on all sides as Lily and Snape held on as tightly as they could. Lily conjured up a rope and used it to attach her and Snape onto the boat.

"Can this blasted thing go any faster?!" Snape called out as he shot another flame at the Inferi. The darkness in the cave had started to become more prominent, their only light source being the light on Lily's wand as she illuminated their surroundings. All of a sudden, the rocking of the boat stopped as the waters became quiet once more.

Lily and Snape both exchanged a look, neither wishing to say anything for fear of jinxing their situation. A good five minutes passed as everything remained calm. As Lily held up her wand, her other hand found Snape as the pair stuck close together, their hands holding tight.

"Sev," Lily whispered.

"Yes?" Snape whispered back as he looked around them, seeing nothing but the blackness of the cave walls and the darkness of the lake.

"I don't want to die here."

"You won't," Snape said as he placed his arm around her. Lily turned to face him, her long, red hair and green eyes staring at him with a mixture of fear and anticipation.

"Sev, there's something I want to tell you."

"Can't it wait?"

"No," Lily said firmly. "I've been holding on to this for far too long. If we are going to die in here, I don't want to have not said this to you. Sev, you're my best friend."

"And you're mine as well, Lily," Snape said as Lily smiled at him before biting her lips. Summoning the rest of her courage, Lily shut her eyes momentarily before staring into the grey eyes of Severus looking bemusedly at her.

"Severus, I lo –"

BAM!

Snape and Lily felt themselves being thrown off the boat as something powerful slammed against its side, causing the boat to turn over and capsize. As soon as he entered the lake, Snape felt the icy chill of the waters piercing his skin as he sunk down. The shock of being thrown over soon wore off as Snape realised, to his horror, that both he and Lily were in the lake of Inferi. Snape turned his head to see Lily sinking to the bottom, her face filled with terror as Snape noticed a white hand pulling her under. Diving towards her, Snape wrenched Lily's ankle away from the Inferi's grasp as he pulled them both to the surface. Snape welcomed the cold, musty air of the cave into his lungs as both he and Lily gasped for breath.

"Swim!" Snape yelled as he and Lily made their way to the boat. Every second that passed, Snape pushed away thoughts of the Inferi grabbing onto his legs and pulling him down. As soon as they reached the boat, Snape helped Lily on board. As he grasped the side to pull himself up, a rotting white arm appeared from behind him, pulling Snape into a chokehold.

"Sev!" Lily cried as she aimed her wand though the Inferi was using Snape as a shield. Snape stared at his best friend as she screamed for him, her green eyes staring back at him as they did when he first met.

 _Sorry, Lily_

Knowing that there was no other option, Snape planted his feet onto the boat as he pushed against it, pushing the boat away from him and allowing the Inferi to pull him away from the boat. _At least this way, one of us gets to make it out of here alive_ , Snape thought as he watched Lily drift away in the boat, screaming his name. As his eyes began to close as he felt himself being submerged once more, Snape's thoughts only went towards a single individual, a girl with brown curly hair and piercing blue eyes.

…..

 _I'm sorry, Dumbledore_

James had enough of waiting around. He cursed Moody for taking his Galleon though James suspected he knew why the Auror had done so. James drove himself crazy thinking about Sirius and the others. His thoughts flew towards Snape and Lily as James wondered if the pair were safe as well.

 _Some kind of leader, you are. Your friends are all fighting while you're benching yourself_

James let out a roar of anger as he kicked against a stone on the ground. He was tired of waiting. To hell with Moody and his promises! He was a Gryffindor! He was not going to wait on the sidelines while his friends were fighting for their lives. He thought of going towards Hogwarts or Hogsmeade but thoughts of Moody made him feel slightly conflicted. Instead, James decided that he would go to the cave instead. Snape and Lily could use his help, and it would be away from Voldemort as per Moody's wishes.

James conjured up a parchment as he wrote a note, pleased about coming to a decision. He left the parchment underneath a stone, in case his friends were to appear here. Before he could wave his wand, James heard a loud CRACK! as something landed behind him. Thinking it was one of his friends, James turned, ready to welcome them, only to stop himself halfway. The person in front of him was wearing a dark cloak, his face covered by the hood. James glared as he realised who he was facing.

A Death Eater.

"James Potter, what an honour it is to finally meet you."

Only the sound of his name prevented James from blasting a curse towards the stranger. "How do you know my name, Death Eater?"

"What makes you think I'm a Death Eater?"

"Oh, I don't know. The fact that you look like one!" James growled as the stranger shook his head.

"Death Eaters wear masks. Do you see a mask on my face?"

"I can't even see your face!"

"Well." the stranger replied in a low yet sinister-sounding tone. "I assure you, I am no Death Eater."

"Then what are you doing here?" James asked, his wand aimed directly at the stranger.

"I'm here on a mission." The stranger replied. "One that concerns the very fate of our world. I'm here to stop you, James Potter, from doing something utterly foolish."

"Oh yeah?" James said as he glared at the stranger. "You're welcome to try. But not even my mother can stop me from doing what I want to do.

"I suppose not," the stranger laughed although his face continued to be hidden underneath his hood. "Tell me, James, why do you think Dumbledore kept you away from your friends today?"

"He wanted me to train."

"Yet he did not ask your friends. Why not Black, or Snape? Why not Lupin or Pettigrew? Why not Longbottom? Why did he pick you?"

"He picked me becau –" James stopped midway as he stared at the stranger in shock. "You know about me and my friends?"

"You can say that. I've been watching you, James."

"You have?"

"But of course. You have an important role to play in this war, James." The stranger spoke as James felt his curiosity rising by the second.

"Who are you?!" James barked as the stranger heaved a sigh.

"I'm someone who has kept a close eye on you and your friends for quite some time now." the stranger said as he removed his hood. James let out a gasp as his eyes rested on the man in front of him. Though he knew the man, James was not close to him, unlike his other friends. Almost balding but for a few strands of grey hair, brown eyes and a strong jaw, James recognised the man almost instantly.

"Professor Cayce?"

….

Sirius panted as he ignored the beads of sweat on his forehead. He could see the Shack in sight as all four stumbled onto the path, their wands pointed out, prepared for an attack. All of a sudden, a figure appeared in front of them as Sirius yelped while the other three crashed into his backs.

"Idiot! Why did you come here?!" Regulus cried once he removed his Disillusionment Charm while Sirius glared at his younger brother.

"We're here to rescue our friend! Unless you're here to stop us!" Sirius roared as he aimed his wand at Regulus who tossed something towards Alice. Alice grabbed the items, staring at them in surprise as she held the Galleons in her hand.

"You're too late," Regulus said as a roar escaped Sirius's lips who tossed his wand aside, grabbing his brother by the cloak.

"What did you do?!" Sirius growled in a menacing manner as Regulus pushed himself away.

"I didn't do anything!" Regulus snapped. "Voldemort was here. You friend Dorcas did not make it."

Alice gave a howl as Peter dropped to his knees while Frank stared in shock, trying to process what had happened. Regulus explained the incident inside the Shack as Sirius continued to glare at his brother.

"Why didn't you try to help her?!" Sirius cried as Regulus stared at him in disbelief.

"In front of Voldemort? Are you crazy?! I would have been killed!"

"So you just let her die?"

"There was no other choice, Sirius!"

"Spoken like a true Slytherin!" Sirius growled as Regulus rounded up on his brother.

"As opposed to you? Jumping into a situation without assessing it first? Do you think I didn't want to help her?! Of course, I did! But unlike you, I remember that I have a mission that takes precedence. Why did you think I didn't try to contact you? I knew you, dumb brother would make a beeline for the Shack, forgetting about his mission to destroy Horcruxes! And you still came here! What if Voldemort had left someone else here? You all would be dead."

"Where is Voldemort now?" Frank asked as he placed a comforting hand on his crying ex-girlfriend.

"He's going to Hogwarts, to retrieve the Horcrux he hopes is still there," Regulus said as he rubbed his neck. "But when he finds out that it's destroyed, Hogwarts will be as well. I've never seen him so unhinged. He looks like he would kill everyone who lives in that castle."

"We should leave!" Peter cried in horror.

"No, we can't!" Sirius said as he glared at Peter. "There are children in there, for fuck's sake. They're all going to pay for what we've done."

"We can contact the Aurors and the Order back in Hogsmeade," Frank said. "They can send reinforcements to the castle!"

Regulus shook his head. "They're about to be occupied at the moment. Voldemort put a spell on Remus making him into some kind of crazed animal. Voldemort set him loose in the Forbidden Forest. Remus is making his way to Hogsmeade as we speak."

Sirius's face turned a bright shade of white. "We MUST help Remus!"

"Are you crazy?!" Regulus cried. "The most logical action would be to get as far away from here as you can. Don't forget the mission! Hogwarts is lost! You can still save yourselves. Get away from here and regroup. All that's left is the cup and the diary and then finally, we can kill the bastard!"

"Remus is our friend!" Sirius snapped. "Or have you forgotten what it's like to have friends? Or anyone you care about for that matter? It's not like you understand what it feels like to lose someone you love!"

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Regulus roared as he glared daggers at his brother. Ever since Voldemort returned to Malfoy Manor without his trusted house-elf, Regulus had been driving himself hoarse calling out for his beloved Kreacher. But his house elf had not returned. Regulus had allowed himself a moment of grief as he recalled that Kreacher, despite being a house elf, had been the closest thing to a real family. At a time when his parents cared more about his academics and his service to the Dark Lord while his brother hated his guts, Kreacher had been a beacon of light in his life. Now, the light had extinguished as Regulus felt himself being truly alone. "You're not the only one who lost people tonight, Sirius!"

"Regulus," Alice whispered as she grabbed his bands. "We can't abandon our friends. Remus is out there and James could be at Hogwarts. We need to go find them."

Regulus stared blankly at the four of them. He could see that Peter was more than willing to accept his request yet the other three were adamant in pursuing after the rest. Didn't they understand just how important it was that some of them were kept alive? Being trained as a Death Eater and a Slytherin meant that Regulus could weigh the different outcomes logically, without emotion. Yet as he stared into Alice's eyes, an image of Kreacher passed through his mind as Regulus felt the guilt starting to sink. Kreacher never asked to be a pawn of the Dark Lord and now he was dead. For years, Regulus had trained himself not to let emotions get in the way of his tasks but right now, all that flew out the window. A sense of anger grew inside him, one borne from the need to avenge his house-elf.

Regulus let out a groan as he shook his head. "For the record, this is about the dumbest thing that anyone can do. But if you all are insisting on staying here, the least I can do is help."

"Thank you," Frank said as Sirius gave a slight grunt. Regulus glared at his brother before clearing his throat.

"This might be the most insane plan I've ever thought of but it could work," Regulus said as the others gathered close to him. "Voldemort just wants to check on his Horcrux so I say we give one to him. Transfigure something into the diadem as close as you can recall it and put it back inside the Room. If Voldemort goes in and sees it, he might think that Dumbledore hasn't discovered this Horcrux just yet and might leave Hogwarts untouched. But of course, if he chooses to inspect the item then that's it. It's over."

"Are you crazy?" Peter cried. "Going up there to place a fake diadem is reckless! Not to mention, suicidal!"

Frank and Alice exchange looks before the latter nodded her head. "It could work. We need to try something. People are going to die."

"Agreed. We can look for James on the way. We'll use Disillusionment Charms to disguise ourselves." Frank said as Peter shook his head.

"No, I'm out. It's too dangerous."

"Regulus's plan is good," Sirius exclaimed as everyone turned to him. Regulus gave his brother an incredulous look as Sirius let out a sigh before smiling. "We lost Dorcas tonight but we still have a chance to save Remus, James as well as people in Hogwarts. Risky or not, we have to take that chance."

Sirius pointed to Frank, Alice and Peter. "You three, use one of our secret passages to get inside Hogwarts and cut Voldemort off before he reaches the Room. Place the fake diadem there and pray that Voldemort falls for it. See if you can find James. If not, once you've placed the diadem, get the hell out of there. We will set up a place to meet later."

Frank and Alice nodded their heads as Peter looked ready to protest, only for Sirius to place a hand on his shoulder.

"Peter, don't forget you're a Gryffindor. These people, they've taken Mary and Dorcas from us. I won't force you to go with them if you don't want to. You can come with me if you want."

"Where are you going?" Peter asked.

"To save Remus."

"On second thought, I think I'll go with them." Peter said as he pointed to Frank and Alice. Sirius gave a light chuckle as Regulus rolled his eyes.

"Are we done? Is the moment over? Because I really want to get going." Regulus spoke as a loud piercing howl echoed within the Forbidden Forest.

"That's Remus," Sirius said as he nodded to the others. "Go, quick! And good luck!"

"Good luck to you too," Alice said as she gave Sirius a hug before turning to Regulus and offering him one as well. Regulus had an awkward look on his face as his ears turned pink. Frank, Alice, and Peter set off towards Hogwarts as Regulus turned to Sirius who had a strange look on his face.

"What?" Regulus said as Sirius shook his head. "Nothing. I have to get going."

"How are you going to catch him?" Regulus asked as Sirius walked off into the distance.

"Don't worry about that," Sirius called out. "I have a plan." Regulus watched as his brother turned into a large, black dog before running off into the forest.

"That's exactly why I should worry." Regulus groaned. The smart thing to do would be to stay where he was and leave once Voldemort called for his Death Eaters. He was too important to die, his role as a Death Eater spy could give the DA access and information on the other Horcruxes. This was the right thing to do. The logical thing to do. Another howl echoed in the distance as Regulus caught the soft but distinct barking of a dog.

"Fuck this," Regulus said as he removed his wand. Casting a Disillusionment Charm on himself, Remus gripped his wand tightly as he ran off in the direction of his brother.

…..

 _Sev, Sev, where are you?_

 _I'm here, Alice. I'm right here._

 _I can't see you. Where are you, Sev?_

 _I'm right here! I'm in front of you. Can't you see me waving my hand?_

 _No….no…. you're dead._

 _Dead?!_

 _You drowned. You drowned to protect Lily._

 _I did?_

 _You rather drown for Lily instead of fighting for me. In the end, you always choose Lily._

 _No, NO! I CHOOSE YOU, ALICE! I CHOOSE YOU!_

 _Then, fight for me, Sev! Fight! Fight!_

 _I'm trying! I'm…what do I do?_

 _Wake up. Wake UP! WAKEEE UPPP!_

Severus opened his eyes, only to see darkness all around him. His entire body felt like it was floating in the air. Snape could feel his wand in the grip of his left hand. Snape tried to cast a Lumos spell but nothing seemed to be working. No words seemed to be escaping his mouth. Instead, each time he spoke, only bubbles seem to escape his lips.

 _Wait, bubbles?!_ Snape thought as he inched his head forward only to feel something pull back against his neck. In an instant, Snape realised where he was. He was being dragged down deep by the Inferi in the lake! Snape stared upwards, only to realise that blackness of the cave meant it was difficult for him to see just how deep he was. Struggling to break free of the Inferi holding his neck, Snape twisted himself loose, while trying to cast a spell underwater. With his wand failing, Snape used it instead to poke the creature as the Inferi released its hold on Snape. Before Snape could swim up to the surface, however, he felt a tight grip on his ankle as he started to sink even further.

Snape felt himself growing more weary by the second though the adrenaline kept him awake. He needed to survive! He promised Alice that he would survive to travel the world with her! Snape tried desperately to kick off whatever was gripping him but it seemed that all hope was lost as Snape felt himself losing the battle.

A bright flash of white light appeared on top of him as Snape felt something yank him from his hair. Grabbing onto the hand that was pulling him upwards, Snape finally kicked himself free as he felt himself floating towards the surface. All of a sudden, Snape felt a large of gust of fresh air entering his lungs as he gasped each gulp of air as quickly as he could. The bright light still lingered above them as Snape turned to see an angry Lily glaring at him.

"Lily?" Snape panted as Lily gave him a shove.

"Are you crazy?! What were you thinking?!" Lily cried angrily as she shot yet another jet of flames from her wand.

"I was saving you!"

"YOU WERE SACRIFICING YOURSELF, YOU PRAT! How could you, Snape?!"

"What was I supposed to do?!" Snape snapped back. "Let you die as well! One of us could have escaped here!"

"Don't…you… _ever_ …leave me like that!" Lily yelled as Snape could see she was sobbing. "I'm not going to lose you like that."

"Lily…" Snape whispered as he looked around them. The water remained calm for the moment but Snape knew, sooner or later, the Inferi would come for them.

"Here!" Lily said as she handed him something. "I found it while you were trying to kill yourself."

Snape took the item, his eyes widening as he stared at his wand in which Lily handed it to him. "But I already have my wa…". Snape turned to look at his hand, crying in surprise as he realised he had been holding the Deluminator which Dumbledore had given him.

"Sev…" Lily spoke as Snape turned towards where she was pointing. A series of bubbles were rising to the surface as something big was coming their way. Staring at the Deluminator, Snape recalled what Dumbledore had spoken to him.

 _Use it when things seem their darkest_

Snape lifted the Deluminator and pressed it hard.

Suddenly, the cave was filled with light, almost as if the sun itself was shining inside. Lily and Snape gaped at the huge ball of light that had released itself from the lighter, its orange and crimson flames shining onto the lake. Snape watched as the Inferi, which had been preparing another assault, was now screaming and swimming away as the waters around them turned to calm once more.

"Sev, look!" Lily cried as she pointed to the ball of light which was no longer a ball anymore. Instead, the ball had transformed into something with large wings, legs protruding underneath it as a sharp beak appeared on its front.

"It's a phoenix!" Snape cried excitedly as the phoenix-like flame flew about their heads. Lily tapped his shoulder as she pointed to something behind him. Snape turned to see the edge of the lake in the distance, less than a hundred metres from when they were floating. Nodding to each other, Snape and Lily began to swim towards shore as the brightly-lit phoenix flew above their heads.

As soon as they reached the shore, both Lily and Snape collapsed underneath the exhaustion. After a good long rest, Snape stood up on his feet as he helped Lily onto hers. He could see that her face was wet, though Snape knew it wasn't just from the lake.

"Lily…I…"

"You sacrificed yourself to save me…" Lily whispered as she looked up at him, her green eyes shimmering underneath the burning phoenix which was slowly ebbing away.

"You sacrificed yourself to save me. So we're even." Snape whispered back as he smiled at Lily. He could see the redhead biting her lip, almost as if she was deciding something. Snape turned to face the phoenix, whose light was slowly fading. Knowing they had to hurry before the light disappeared, Snape reached into his pockets, only to find that both Galleons were gone, no doubt sinking to the bottom of the lake. Groaning, Snape turned to face Lily.

"Lily, do you still have – "

Whatever words Snape had to say were now being cut off by the presence of something soft and passionate pressing hard against his lips.

Severus Snape froze as he stared down into the green eyes of Lily Evans which were barely a centimetre away as the redhead wrapped herself around his neck while pressing her lips onto his as forcefully and passionately as she could.

It finally happened.

Lily Evans was kissing him.

….

 **The end for now. A few things to note.**

 **Sorry about Dumbledore but he had to die. Pushing the Horcrux Hunt earlier means that Dumbledore would still go into the Gaunt's shack and put the ring on his finger. Dumbledore's role in the HP books is one that cannot be understated but now, without him, things are going to change quite a bit.**

 **Fate, destiny and prophecies are going to be important as the story progresses. By now, some of you might see a theme happening which is good because it will help to understand the ending of the story once it comes.**

 **I will not confirm nor deny if Alice and Snape had sex. That will be made apparent in the coming chapters.**

 **Sorry about Dorcas. Remus did truly love her unfortunately but her loss will impact Remus greatly. At least, I kept it to the canon storyline where it was mentioned that Dorcas was killed by Voldemort himself.**

 **Something Bad will come at the end of the next chapter. Sorry.**

 **This chapter was not supposed to end here but my friend pointed out that if I were to prolong it further, I might be just cutting through the action too quickly without much development. So I decided to end it here for now. In the next chapter, we will see five very important parts**

 **James and Cayce talking**

 **Reg and Sirius teaming up to try and stop Remus**

 **Voldemort showcasing just how evil he truly can be**

 **Peter, Alice and Frank trying to pull wool over Voldemort's eyes**

 **Snape and Lily in the cave.**

 **You will see by now that although this IS a Snape story, the other characters are just as important and will be given character arcs though not all of them will have one. With that tidbit in mind, thank you for reading and I'll see you soon!**


End file.
